Composite profile

Abstract

 Composite profile for the frame of a window, with an outer shell (2) and an inner shell (3) that are connected together by at least one insulating strip (5), whereby the edges of the insulating strip are rolled in and the rolling in is done such that a first longitudinal edge (26) of the insulating strip (5) is clamped in a first groove (23) without any freedom of movement, while the second longitudinal edge (25) of the insulating strip (5) is held in the second groove (16) in such a way that this second edge (25) has freedom of movement in the longitudinal direction of the groove (16), but no or practically no freedom of movement transverse to this longitudinal direction.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a composite profile for the frame of a window, a door or similar.

[0002] More specifically, the invention is intended for the fixed frame of a window or door, in which there is a turnable leaf with a glass panel for example.

[0003] Composite profiles with a metal outer shell and inner shell, for example aluminium, that are connected by a thermal bridge have long been known.

[0004] It has long been known that such metal shells can expand due to their high thermal expansion coefficient under the influence of heat.

[0005] The aim of the aforementioned insulating thermal bridge between the metal outer shell and inner shell is to prevent cold flows.

[0006] Although such insulation is of strip desirable from the point of view of the user, the presence of the thermal bridge means that large temperature differences can occur between the outer shell and inner shell, which in turn leads to undesired deformations.

[0007] Conventionally each insulating strip with its longitudinally oriented edges is held in a groove of the outer shell and in a groove of the inner shell, whereby each groove is formed by parallel ribs separated by a distance, whereby after affixing the edges in the grooves, at least one rib is folded back in the direction of the other rib as a result of rolling in, in order to grip the edge concerned in the groove without any freedom of movement.

[0008] Certainly in south-facing facades, the outer shell heats up considerably on hot sunny days and the outer shell can thus expand considerably.

[0009] The inner shell on the other hand will expand significantly less, and as a result of the difference in thermal expansion between the outer shell and inner shell, the profile can warp.

[0010] A disadvantage is that the warping can impede or even prevent the closing of the window or door leaf.

[0011] Another disadvantage is that the warping can create openings between the frame and the leaf.

[0012] Especially with large frames with dark painted outer shells that absorb a lot of heat, this problem is not negligible.

[0013] Moreover good insulation between the outer shell and inner shell only exacerbates the problem of warping.

[0014] After all, the better the thermal insulation of the profile, the greater the thermal difference between the outer and inner shell, and thus the greater the difference in thermal expansion between the outer and inner shell.

[0015] In order to provide a solution to this problem, it is also known to roll in the edges of the insulating strips on the outer shell or inner shell to a limited extent or not at all, whereby these edges are gripped in these grooves with play and consequently can freely move in the grooves of this outer shell or inner shell.

[0016] Such a solution is known from US6035600.

[0017] A disadvantage is that because of the freedom of movement in the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the strip, the stability of the leaf is reduced as a result, which is inconvenient during production, transport and mounting.

[0018] From EP 2163719 another solution is known, in which by means of local dot-shaped bulge on the rib and a corresponding recess on the strip, a specific resistance to sliding in the longitudinal direction is created, which is high enough to avoid sliding during production and installation, but low enough to compensate for differences in expansion due to different temperatures.

[0019] Improved insulation profiles are also known, such as "dilation" insulating strips that have a weakening in their axial direction, for example in the form of holes that are distributed along the longitudinal direction of the insulating strips, all such that the outer shell and inner shell can expand independently of one another, such that the warping is reduced or avoided.

[0020] A disadvantage is that these insulating strips are much more expensive than the conventional insulating strips.

[0021] Another disadvantage is that the axial weakening in the insulating strip reduces the stability of the leaf, leaving the application of these special insulating strips only possible in specific cases, whereby other insulating profiles are used in the profile of the fixed frame.

[0022] Moreover the holes not only constitute a weakening in the longitudinal direction, but also in the transverse direction.

[0023] In order to counteract the penetration of water, in the known solutions a cover is placed over the holes, which makes such composite profiles very expensive.

[0024] The purpose of the present invention is to provide one or more solutions to the aforementioned disadvantages and/or other disadvantages by providing a composite profile for the frame of a window, a door or similar, whereby the composite profile contains an outer shell and an inner shell that are connected together by at least one insulating strip, whereby the insulating strip is gripped in a groove of the outer shell and in a groove of the inner shell by its longitudinal edges, whereby each groove is formed by two ribs separated by a distance, whereby, after affixing the edges in the grooves, at least one rib is folded back in the direction of the other rib as a result of rolling in in order to grip the edge concerned in the groove, and whereby the rolling in is done such that a first longitudinal edge of the insulating strip is clamped in a first groove without any freedom of movement, while the second longitudinal edge of the insulating strip is held in the second groove, in such a way that this second edge has freedom of movement in the longitudinal direction of the groove, but no or practically no freedom of movement transverse to this longitudinal direction.

[0025] Here 'no or practically no freedom of movement transverse to this longitudinal direction', implies that the edge and the groove are made such that no play is present between the groove and the edge which allows movement other than in longitudinal direction.

[0026] An advantage is that the insulating strip firmly connects the inner shell and outer shell.

[0027] Another advantage is that under the influence of the thermal expansion of the outer shell, the insulating strip can move in the longitudinal direction of the groove such that the thermal expansion of the outer shell is somewhat compensated, and the composite profile does not warp.

[0028] An advantage attached to this is that the leaf can easily be placed in the fixed frame under all circumstances, and the window or door can always be easily opened or closed. Another advantage is that the composite profile can be fitted in any type of insulating strip, and thus also the conventional insulating strips without causing weakening.

[0029] The invention thus enables complex insulating strips, such as multi-chamber insulating strips with a number of chambers separated from one another, to be affixed between the outer shell and inner shell so that good insulation is obtained.

[0030] As a result of the invention, a composite profile can also be realised that combines a high mechanical strength with a high thermal insulation value, and which enables differential dilation between the outer shell and inner shell.

[0031] In the most practical embodiment, the rib that is folded back upon the rolling in of the first groove, the roll-in rib, has a thickening or a protruding edge with respect to a corresponding roll-in rib of the second groove, and both ribs are folded back or rolled in to the same extent.

[0032] This thickening or protruding edge extends in the longitudinal direction of the roll-in rib because it form part of the profiling of the respective shell.

[0033] An advantage is that the composite profile can be assembled in the conventional way, with round roll-in tools, whereby the contact surfaces of these tools with the roll-in ribs are preferably in the same plane and the ribs are deformed along their entire lengths by the same amount.

[0034] It is thus possible to realise the improved composite profile cheaply, without extra costs for adapted tools.

[0035] In another aspect the invention concerns a composite profile for the frame of a window, a door or similar, whereby the composite profile contains an outer shell and an inner shell that are connected together by at least one insulating strip, whereby the insulating strip is gripped in a groove of the outer shell and in a groove of the inner shell by its longitudinal edges, whereby each groove is formed by two ribs separated by a distance and wherein the combination groove and edge of one of the outer shell and the inner shell is shaped so that free or practically free movement of this edge in this groove in longitudinal direction is possible and no significant play is present in the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction

[0036] With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, a preferred embodiment of a composite profile according to the invention is described hereinafter by way of an example without any limiting nature, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

figure 1 schematically shows a cross-section of a composite profile according to the invention.

figure 2 shows a detail F2 of figure 1.

figure 3 shows a variant of figure 2.

figure 4 shows a detail F4 of figure 1.

figure 5 shows a variant of figure 4.

figures 6 and 7 show the cross-section of figure 1 during a few steps of the realisation of the composite profile.

[0037] Figure 1 schematically shows a first embodiment of a composite profile 1 according to the invention.

[0038] Such a composite profile 1 is primarily made from an outer shell 2 and an inner shell 3, preferably of aluminium, but other materials and in particular metals are not excluded according to the invention.

[0039] The composite profile 1 also has a thermal bridge 4 in the form of one or more insulating strips 5-6 that form a link between the aforementioned outer and inner shell 2-3.

[0040] In the composite profile 1 of figure 1, both the outer and inner shell 2-3 are constructed in the form of hollow tubular profiles, with an outer chamber 7 and an inner chamber 8 respectively.

[0041] In the outer shell 2 there are a pair of ribs 9-10 for fastening each insulating strip 5-6.

[0042] In the embodiment shown there are four ribs 11-14, arranged according to the aforementioned two pairs 9-10.

[0043] These ribs 11-14 are on the wall 15 oriented towards the inner shell 3, and each pair 9-10 of ribs defines a groove 16-17. Analogously, the wall 18 of the inner shell 3 oriented towards the outer shell 2 has similar ribs 19-22. The aforementioned ribs 19-22 define two grooves 23-24 on the inner shell 3 that are opposite the grooves 16-17 of the outer shell 2 in the embodiment shown.

[0044] Although it is preferable that the ribs of the outer shell and inner shell are located opposite one another, it is not a strict requirement of the invention.

[0045] The insulating strip 5 in the example shown is produced as a single profile and is affixed with its longitudinal edges 25-26 in the respective groove 16 of the outer shell 2 and groove 17 of the inner shell 3.

[0046] Although the preference is that the aforementioned longitudinal edges 25-26 of the insulating strip are dovetailed, this is not a strict requirement.

[0047] According to the invention, a first longitudinal edge of the insulating strip is gripped in a first groove and this in such a way that the edge is secured without any freedom of movement.

[0048] In the cross-section of figure 1 shown, the aforementioned first groove formed by the groove 23 of the inner shell 3 and the edge 26 of the insulating strip 5 is clasped in this groove 23 in a fixed way.

[0049] To this end the rib 19 of the aforementioned groove 23 has a thickening or protruding edge 27, as shown in more detail in figure 2.

[0050] The example of figure 2 clearly shows that, after rolling in, the edge of the insulating strip is firmly gripped between the ribs 19 and 20 of the groove 23.

[0051] In the example of figure 2, the thickening 27 is on the side oriented towards the groove, but as the variant of figure 3 shows, it can also be the other side of the rib, or in other words the side oriented away from the groove has a thickening 27.

[0052] According to a variant not shown, it is also possible for both sides of the rib to have a protruding edge or thickening.

[0053] It is clear that the thickening 27 on the rib 19 can also be realised by making the other rib 11 thinner than the roll-in rib 19.

[0054] According to the invention, the other longitudinal edge 25 of the insulating strip 5 is held in a second groove 16, in this case a groove 16 of the inner shell 2, and this in such a way that this second edge 25 has freedom of movement in the longitudinal direction of the groove 16, as shown in figures 4 and 5.

[0055] In the embodiment shown in figure 1 this is realised by, after rolling in, the groove 16 being dovetailed in a form that corresponds to the dovetailed edge 25 of the insulating strip 5.

[0056] In the embodiment of figure 4 the contact surface between the insulating strip 5 and the roll-in rib 11 is formed by a folded edge that is specifically provided at the free end of the roll-in rib for this purpose.

[0057] In the variant of figure 5, however the profiling of the roll-in rib, after rolling in, matches the profiling of the edge 25 of the insulating strip 5, such that in this case there is a greater contact area between the insulating strip 5 and the roll-in rib 11.

[0058] Analogously the second insulating strip 6 can have an edge gripped in a first groove 24 and have its other edge affixed in a second groove 17, whereby the gripping in the first groove 24 does not allow any freedom of movement, while the other edge has some freedom of movement in the longitudinal direction of the second groove 17.

[0059] The method for manufacturing the composite profile 1 according to the invention is very simple and as follows.

[0060] As is known, an insulating strip 5 can be affixed between the outer and inner shell 2-3, whereby the one longitudinal edge 25 of the insulating strip 5 is placed in a groove 23 of the inner shell 3 and the other edge 26 in a groove 16 of the outer shell 2.

[0061] As illustrated in figure 6, in this non-clasped situation the edges 25-26 of the insulating strip are free to move in the longitudinal direction of the grooves 16,23.

[0062] To form the composite profile 1, the insulating strip 5 must be connected to the aforementioned inner shell and outer shell 2-3 using a suitable roll-in tool.

[0063] According to the invention, after fitting the edges 25-26 of the insulating strip 5 in the grooves, at least one rib 11,19 of each groove 16,23 is folded back by the rolling in of the groove 16,23 in the direction of the other rib 12,20 in order to grip the edge concerned 25,26 of the insulating strip 5 in the groove 16,23.

[0064] A force is thereby exerted on the roll-in rib 11,19 of each groove 16,23 in the direction of the arrow P in figure 6.

[0065] Figure 6 clearly illustrates that the contact surfaces between the roll-in ribs 11,19 of the outer and inner shell 2-3, and the roll-in tool are located in the same plane, in this case a plane parallel to the longitudinal direction of the grooves 16,23.

[0066] According to a preferred characteristic of the invention, the roll-in ribs 11,19, or in other words the ribs against which the roll-in tool is placed, is folded back to the same extent.

[0067] In the variant of figure 1, the thickening 27 on the roll-in rib 19 of the inner shell 3 means that the insulating strip 5 is more firmly gripped with its edge 26 in the groove 23 of the inner shell 3 than the other edge 25 in the groove 16 of the outer shell 2.

[0068] The presence of the thickening 27 on the roll-in rib 19 means that, after rolling in, the groove 23 of the inner shell 3 is more narrowed than the groove 16 of the outer shell 2.

[0069] Also in a variant whereby the roll-in rib 11 of the second groove 16 is thinner than the roll-in rib 19, the effect is obtained that, after rolling in, the insulating strip 5 is firmly clasped in the groove 23 and is clasped in the other groove 16 with a limited freedom of movement.

[0070] After rolling in, the roll-in rib 11 is folded back such that the second groove 16 has a profiling that matches the profiling of the longitudinal edge 25 of the insulating strip 5, which is shown in figure 5.

[0071] In this rolled-in situation a movement of the insulating strip 5 is only possible in the longitudinal direction of the groove 16, and its movements in directions transverse to this longitudinal direction are excluded.

[0072] It is clear that the thickening 27 on the roll-in rib 19 is not strictly necessary for the application of the invention.

[0073] After all, according to a variant embodiment, an adapted roll-in tool can be used, whereby the roll-in rib 19 of the one groove 23 is folded back to a greater extent than the roll-in rib 11 of the other groove 16, so that again the one groove is more narrowed than the other.

[0074] In this variant the greater folding back of one of the roll-in ribs means that the insulating strip is gripped in one of the grooves without any freedom of movement.

[0075] In the groove 16, with the less strongly folded roll-in rib 11, some freedom of movement in the longitudinal direction of the groove 16 will be possible. On the other hand, in the other groove 23 there is no freedom of movement due to the greater folding back of the roll-in rib 19.

[0076] Although in figure 1 the insulating strip 5 is secured without any freedom of movement with respect to the inner shell 3, it is also possible that the insulating strip 5 is secured without any freedom of movement with respect to the outer shell 2. In this last case, the insulating strip 5 must be affixed in a groove of the inner shell 3 with a certain freedom of movement.

[0077] Although the drawings always show a composite profile 1 with two insulating strips 5-6, it is not excluded that the thermal bridge 4 can consist of only one or more than two insulating strips.

[0078] If only one insulating strip 5 forms the link between the outer shell and inner shell 2-3, it is possible that the insulating strip 5 is constructed as a hollow tubular profile, whereby the enclosed hollow space is subdivided or otherwise into chambers by partitions, in order to improve the thermal insulation.

[0079] Such a more complex insulating strip can be fitted with a number of flanges that are gripped in a number of grooves on the outer shell and inner shell.

[0080] The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiment described as an example and shown in the drawings, but a composite profile according to the invention can be realised in all kinds of variants, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Composite profile for the frame of a window, a door or similar, whereby the composite profile (1) contains an outer shell (2) and an inner shell (3) that are connected together by at least one insulating strip (5), whereby the insulating strip (5) is gripped in a groove (16) of the outer shell (2) and in a groove (23) of the inner shell (3) by its longitudinal edges (25-26), whereby each groove (16 and 23) is formed by two ribs (11 and 12, 19 and 20) of which one is a roll-in rib, separated by a distance, whereby, after affixing the edges (25-26) in the grooves (16 and 23), at least one roll-in rib (11 and 19) is folded back in the direction of the other rib (12 and 20) as a result of rolling in in order to grip the edge (25 and 26) concerned in the groove (16 and 23), characterised in that the rolling in is done such that a first longitudinal edge (26) of the insulating strip (5) is clamped in a first groove (23) without any freedom of movement, while the second longitudinal edge (25) of the insulating strip (5) is held in the second groove (16) in such a way that this second edge (25) has freedom of movement in the longitudinal direction of the groove (16), but no or practically no freedom of movement transverse to this longitudinal direction.

2. Composite profile according to claim 1, characterised in that the first groove (23) is on the inner shell (3) and the second groove (16) is on the outer shell (2).

3. Composite profile according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the roll-in rib (19) of the first groove (23) has a thickening or a protruding edge (27) with respect to a corresponding roll-in rib (11) of the second groove (16).

4. Composite profile according to claim 3, characterised in that the aforementioned thickening or protruding edge (27) is on the side oriented towards the groove (23) and/or on the side oriented away from the groove (23).

5. Composite profile according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the roll-in rib (11) of the second groove (16) is thinned with respect to the roll-in rib (19) of the first groove (23).

6. Composite profile according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that both roll-in ribs (11 and 19) are rolled in to the same extent.

7. Composite profile according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the roll-in rib (19) of the first groove (23) is folded back more than the roll-in rib (11) of the second groove (16).

8. Composite profile according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the profiling of the roll-in rib (11) of the second groove (16) matches the profiling of the second edge (25) in the unclamped situation.

9. Composite profile according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the longitudinal edge (25-26) of the insulating strip (5) is dovetailed, whereby the roll-in rib (11) of the second groove (13) in the rolled-in situation together with the other rib (12) of the second groove (16) define a corresponding dovetailed groove (16).

Drawing