[0001] The invention relates to a roof window or hatch comprising preferably two mutually
symmetrical fixing assemblies for the upper casing, the assemblies being arranged
symmetrically on the upper corners of the sash openable outwards, while the upper
casing is mounted on the sash elements, simultaneously providing a seal protecting
from all weather conditions for the connection of the upper casing with side casings.
[0002] The casings are basically installed on the whole circumference of the sash frame.
In its typical rectangular design, an openable roof window has basically four casings,
covering the side elements, the upper elements and the lower elements of the window.
In such a configuration, the sash is an element comprising preferably a plurality
of symmetrical elements arranged symmetrically in relation to both symmetry planes,
thus the opposite fixing assemblies for the casing elements contain features and shapes
being mutual mirror images.
[0003] The casings of roof windows, typically formed from metal sheets, protect the window
frame and the window sash from adverse weather conditions. The casings of the window
frame are generally installed immovably and mate with a flange sealing the connection
of the window frame with the roof cover, while the casings of the window sash are
in general connected immovably with their corresponding sash frame members.
[0004] In case of roof windows or hatches with a sash openable outwards, a complete casing
set is most often composed of two side casings, an upper casing and a lower casing.
[0005] The casings made of metal sheets are most often fixed using screws, catch pawls or
rivets, and feature mounting holes intended for this purpose. Usually, the fixing
points utilise installation slots located in the sash frame members, most often in
the corners, while the installation slots may be immovable or slidable, if a compensation
for differences resulting from working tolerances and thermal expansion of the sash
frame members and the casings is required. In such cases, generally the second fixing
point of the casing is constituted by installation slots slidable along the sash frame
member. The above solutions have a disadvantage consisting in that it is necessary
to prepare installation through-holes in the casings, the holes constituting possible
leak points for rainfall. This problem may be solved by using additional installation
elements on the inside of the casing or at its ends.
[0006] One of known solutions is a set composed of a comb joint on one end of the casing
and a snap-on joint on its other end, described in Patent Description no.
PL 212427. The set was disclosed for use in a pivot window, with a relatively short casing
element of the sash, and the snap-on joint requires rather strict working tolerances.
In case of large temperature changes leading to various thermal elongations, it may
pose an installation problem while connecting the snap-on elements. Moreover, this
system does not provide any possibility of fixing the casing on the sash element tightly
and rigidly, which would eliminate vibrations and noise caused by the casing, for
instance as a result of turbulences of the surrounding air.
[0007] A necessity to seal the interconnections between the casings constitutes an additional
problem in roof windows. Solutions utilising a lap joint of the upper casing onto
the side casings are known. Their advantage is simplicity and low manufacturing cost,
however such a connection does not constitute a completely effective barrier for penetration
of water, particularly the water transported by wetting of external walls in narrow
crevices.
[0008] Also solutions are known in which the casings are connected and sealed in the connecting
edges by plastic connectors. The connectors feature slotted sockets, into which the
edges of the metal sheet profiles are inserted, and in some solutions they are fixed
to the sash frame, being fixing points for the casings.
[0009] One of such solutions is a set of elements for fixing the casings, disclosed in application
no.
EP 2666926 A1, the set being based on a plastic corner element, comprising elements for quick fastening
to fixed elements of the window or those of the window sash. The corner element is
slipped onto the metal sheet casing profile, then the set is fixed to the sash frame.
This solution enables fast installation of the casing elements on the window sash
and it is aesthetic, however it does not provide for any necessity to compensate the
thermal elongation of the metal sheet casings. During an intense insolation the temperature
rises and the casings profiles elongate leading to stresses in the mating elements
when the compensation is not provided for, which may result in their cracking. It
is of a particular importance in case of use of more and more popular plastic corner
connectors featuring lower mechanical strength, where thermal stresses may lead to
their deformation or failure. A compensating element or system is necessary in such
solutions.
[0010] The aim of the proposed solution consists in the provision of a fixing assembly for
the upper casing of a roof window eliminating the necessity to use connector elements,
requiring a breach in the structural continuity of the casing (e.g. installation holes),
ensuring quick installation of the casings on the sash frame and interconnection of
the casings, as well as leakproofness of the structure irrespective of variable weather
conditions, particularly temperature changes, leading to thermal elongations of the
structural elements and the casings.
[0011] The above requirements are met by a roof window according to the proposed invention,
comprising a set of elements which provide separable fastening of the upper casing
on its ends and the side casings on their top ends, without a necessity to breach
the structural continuity of their coating, additionally providing a seal of the connection
of the upper casing with the side casings in upper corners of the window.
[0012] The fixing assembly is basically composed of two sets mounted on the upper corners
of the sash of a roof window or a roof hatch, the sets being mutual mirror images
in relation to the plane of symmetry of the upper casing. Considering the symmetry
of the majority of important elements of the fixing assembly, further description
will pertain to a single set, unless specified otherwise.
[0013] A fixing assembly is basically composed of a fixing element mounted on a universal
bracket. The bracket is an element preferably made of structural metal sheet by bending
of flat blank. Basically, it contains a stem, serving the purpose of fixing the bracket
to the sash frame, and a mounting arm, serving as a holder for mounting a side casing
and a fixing element. The bracket is preferably fixed on the corner of the sash frame,
onto its side edges, constituting an additional reinforcement of the sash structure.
This position of the bracket allows for an improvement in its versatility, among others,
by installing a holder for a gas spring, aiding the opening and closing of the sash.
The mounting arm is preferably a flat element bent to the outside of the sash, preferably
parallel to the window plane. In such a position, the mounting arm provides for a
possibility of using the free space between it and the window frame elements to install
a lock for blocking the fixing element after its installation on the mounting arm.
[0014] The fixing element is basically made of plastic due to the possibility of obtaining
the desired shape relatively easily and the aesthetics of the visible external surfaces.
The fixing element according to the invention basically serves the purpose of mounting
of the upper casing at the casing's end. Use of a mirror-image fixing element at the
other end of the upper casing enables a stable and firm mounting of a rigid upper
casing. A distinguishing feature of the fixing element according to the invention
is the solution of a mounting slot for the upper casing. Basically, it has a shape
of the upper casing profile, the casing being inserted longitudinally to the mounting
slot during the installation. The width of the mounting slot is selected so as to
the distance between the upper wall and the lower wall of the mounting slot ensures
no occurrence of the effect of external wall wetting by rainfall in narrow crevices
thanks to surface tension. The first barrier for water is an external sealing strip
formed by a tight contact of the external surface of the upper casing and the upper
wall of the mounting slot in their contact zone after installation. Elastic compression
of the upper casing in the mounting slot is ensured by a set of longitudinal ribs
with height matching with the thickness of the metal sheet of the upper casing so
as to enable its easy insertion and removal, with simultaneous formation of the sealing
strip. Maximum height of the longitudinal ribs is equal to the difference between
the mounting slot width and the thickness of the upper casing metal sheet. The mounting
slot has width not smaller than the sum of the thickness of the upper casing metal
sheet being inserted to the mounting slot, and the minimum distance between the casing's
internal surface and the mounting slot's lower wall, at which the capillary effect
does not occur. The spacing of the ribs is selected depending on the rigidity of the
upper casing metal sheet so as to elastic deformation of the upper casing does not
occur, being of significance for maintaining a high leakproofness of the sealing strip.
Possible small amount of water which may penetrate under the surface of the upper
casing despite the sealing strip, is stopped on the longitudinal ribs or flows down
to a water draining duct running along the edge of the insulating glass unit.
[0015] The fixing element is mounted on the mounting arm of the bracket and locked using
a locking mechanism comprising the following main components: a pin fixed in the internal
surface of the fixing element, a locking hole in the mounting arm, and a locking bolt
installed rotatably on the bracket, preferably on the mounting arm in a plane parallel
to the window plane. The pin has a recess in the form of a transverse groove, together
with the rotatable locking bolt constituting the locking mechanism being locked after
installation of the fixing element on the mounting arm.
[0016] The mounting arm may be used additionally for mounting of the side casing's upper
edge, significantly increasing the flexibility of the proposed solution. The side
casing has a transverse catch pawl, being inserted into a preferably rectangular through-hole
in the mounting arm during installation. Such a mounting of the casing's upper part
results in a complete blocking of its linear motion in the plane of the window. Also,
a possibility of the transverse catch pawl to slip out from the mounting hole must
be prevented. It is realised by a pressure of the side edge of the fixing element,
overlapped or pushed onto the side casing during the installation. After blocking
the pins by the rotatable locking bolts on both sides of the upper casing, the whole
set provides a tight, rigid, and separable connection of the upper casing and the
side casings at their upper ends. A significant advantage of the proposed solution
consists in its flexibility, resulting from the possibility of the upper casing to
shift in the mounting slots of the fixing elements, without any deterioration of the
leakproofness of the set. Relative motion of the upper casing and the fixing elements
is particularly desirable during the installation of the set. Then, working tolerance
of the installation elements often requires an adjustment of spacing of the elements
being connected. The proposed solution provides also a very good mating of the casing
elements and the sash structure during large temperature changes. Thermal elongations
are compensated by structural expansion joints, being parts of the mounting slots,
and resulting from an incomplete insertion of the upper casing. After the whole set
of the casings is completed and fixed to the brackets, the distance between the bottoms
of the mounting slots of symmetrically mounted fixing elements is longer than the
length of the upper casing and forms an expansion joint for compensation of thermal
elongations.
In the proposed embodiment, a complete roof hatch with an openable sash is shown as assembled in Fig. 1.
In Fig. 2, the sash with the whole set of casings and the fixing element as assembled
is shown.
In Fig. 3, a top view of a sash fragment in the corner, with the whole set of casings
and the fixing element as assembled, is shown. In Fig. 4, an A-A cross-sectional view
is shown, defined in Fig. 3, passing through the pin of the fixing element and the
rotation axis of the locking bolt.
In Fig. 5, a B-B cross-sectional view is shown, perpendicular to the A-A cross-section,
defined in Fig. 3, passing through the pin of the fixing element.
In Fig. 6, an isometric bottom view of the locking mechanism is shown.
In Fig. 7, an isometric view of the fixing element is shown.
[0017] In the proposed embodiment according to the invention, the fixing assembly consists of fixing element 1, mounted
on universal bracket 2. Bracket 2 is an element made of structural metal sheet by
bending of a flat blank. The bracket comprises stem 21 and mounting arm 22, serving
the purpose of a holder for mounting side casing 3 and fixing element 1. Bracket 2
is fastened via stem 21 on the side edges of the corner of sash frame 4. Stem 21 basically
has a shape of an angle bar with mounting holes arranged for screws or other connecting
media. Arm I 211 of stem 21, adjacent to upper sash member 41 of frame 4 constitutes
a base for fixing holder 5 for a gas spring. Arm II 212 of stem 21 is adjacent to
side sash frame member 42 of the sash and is fixed to it. Mounting arm 22 is a flat
element bent aside of arm II outwards, in parallel to the sash plane.
[0018] Fixing element 1 is made of plastic preferably by injection moulding and it basically
serves the purpose of mounting and fixing of upper casing 6 at the casing's end using
mounting slot 11. During the installation, upper casing 6 is inserted longitudinally
into mounting slot 11. The width of mounting slot 11 ensures that no capillary effect
occurs, i.e. the effect of wetting of internal walls in narrow crevices by rainfall
water utilising surface tension. The lack of the capillary effect in the point of
contact of mounting slot 11 and upper casing 6 is ensured by tight connection of external
surface 61 of upper casing 6 and upper wall 111 of mounting slot 11 in the area of
their mutual contact after installation. Pressure of upper casing 6 to upper wall
111 in mounting slot 11 is ensured by a set of longitudinal ribs 12 with height equal
to the difference between the thickness of mounting slot 11 and that of upper casing
metal sheet 6, while maintaining a slight installation allowance. Mounting slot 11
has a width not smaller than the sum of the thickness of upper casing metal sheet
6 being inserted to mounting slot 11, and the minimum distance between upper casing's
6 internal surface 62 and mounting slot's 11 lower wall 112, at which the capillary
effect does not occur. The spacing of longitudinal ribs 12 is selected so as to the
elastic deformation of upper casing 6 does not occur during the installation and operation.
With careless installation or transport, upper casing 6 or the fixing element may
be deformed or damaged, increasing the risk of water penetration through the sealing
strip under the surface of the casing elements. Possible small amount of water which
may penetrate under the surface of upper casing 6 despite the sealing strip, is stopped
on longitudinal ribs 12 or flows down to a water draining duct running along the edge
of the insulating glass unit of the sash.
[0019] Fixing element 1 is mounted on mounting arm 22 of bracket 2 and locked using a locking
mechanism, having the following main components: pin 13 fixed in the internal surface
of fixing element 1, locking hole 221 in mounting arm 22, and locking bolt 23 installed
rotatably on mounting arm 22, on the side opposite to mounting surface 221 of mounting
arm 22, in a plane parallel to the window plane. During the installation, the pin
13 is inserted into locking hole 222. Pin 13 has a recess in the form of transverse
groove 131, which, in the installed position of fixing element 1, is located on the
height of locking bolt 23. After insertion of locking bolt 23 by rotary motion into
the transverse groove, the possibility of slipping of pin 13 off from locking hole
222 is blocked, and an immovable mounting of the fixing element 1 on bracket 2 is
secured. Additionally, in order to facilitate the installation, pin 13 has elastic
elements 132, ensuring its pre-installation in locking hole 222 of mounting arm 22.
[0020] Mounting arm 22 is additionally used for mounting of side casing's 3 upper edge made
of metal sheet. Side casing 3 has transverse catch pawl 31, made by bending of metal
sheet of the same blank, the pawl being inserted into rectangular through-hole 223
in mounting arm 22 during the installation. Transverse catch pawl 31 is protected
from slipping off from through-hole 223 by the pressure of side edge 14 of fixing
element 1, overlapped onto side casing 3 during installation. After blocking pins
13 by the rotatable locking bolts 23, the set of two fixing assemblies on both ends
of upper casing 6, provides a tight, rigid and separable connection of upper casing
6 and additionally side casings 3 at their upper ends.
[0021] A possibility of a displacement of the upper casing in the mounting slots of the
fixing elements is particularly desirable during the installation of the set and after
the installation of the whole set for compensation of thermal elongation. Thermal
elongation is compensated by structural expansion joints 113, being parts of mounting
slots 11, and resulting from an incomplete insertion of upper casing 6. After the
whole set of the casings is completed and fixed to the brackets, the distance between
the bottoms of mounting slots 11 of symmetrically mounted fixing elements is longer
than the length of upper casing 6.
1. A roof window or a roof hatch with a sash openable outwards, having casings mounted
on the sash frame, including side casings covering basically the side sash frame members,
the upper casing covers basically the upper sash frame member, and the lower casing
covers basically the lower sash frame member, comprising two fixing assemblies, basically
being mutual mirror images in relation to the plane of symmetry of the upper casing,
fixing the upper casing and side casings of the roof window sash using connecting
elements which do not require breaching the structural integrity of the casing, characterised in that the fixing assembly has fixing element (1) for upper casing (6), containing mounting
slot (11) for a longitudinal insertion of an edge of upper casing (6), the element
being immovably mounted on bracket (2).
2. A roof window according to claim 1, characterised in that mounting slot (11) has a set of longitudinal ribs (12) with maximum height equal
to the difference between the thickness of mounting slot (11) and that of metal sheet
of upper casing (6).
3. A roof window according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that mounting slot (11) has a thickness not smaller than the sum of the thickness of metal
sheet of upper casing (6) being inserted to mounting slot (11) and the minimum distance
between internal surface (62) of upper casing (6) and lower wall (112) of mounting
slot (11), at which the capillary effect does not occur.
4. A roof window according to the preceding claims, characterised in that the distance between the bottoms of mounting slots (11) of symmetrically mounted
fixing elements (1) as assembled is longer than the length of รณ upper casing (6) and
forms a structural expansion joint.
5. A roof window according to the preceding claims, characterised in that bracket (2) has stem (21) fixed to the sash frame, and mounting arm (22) with mounting
surface (221) and locking hole (222) for mounting of fixing element (1).
6. A roof window according to claim 5, characterised in that mounting arm (22) has through-hole (223) for mounting of transverse catch pawl (31)
of side casing (3).
7. A roof window according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that fixing element (1) is mounted on mounting arm (22) of bracket (2) and locked using
a locking mechanism.
8. A roof window according to claim 7, characterised in that the locking mechanism is formed by pin (13) with transverse groove (131) fixed in
the internal surface of fixing element (1), locking hole (222) in mounting arm (22),
and locking bolt (23), being inserted into transverse groove (131) of pin (13), installed
rotatably on mounting arm (22) in a plane parallel to the window plane.
9. A roof window according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that pin (13) has elastic elements (132), ensuring its pre-installation in locking hole
(222) of mounting arm (22).
10. A roof window according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that locking bolt (23) is fixed on the side opposite to mounting surface (221) of mounting
arm (22).
11. A roof window according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that bracket (2) has a holder for a gas spring.