The invention relates to a door or window. Traditionally, doors and windows are provided with an air seal or rubber strip protecting against wind penetration into a building where the door or window has been mounted.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a door or window having an improved moisture barrier behaviour. Thereto, according to the invention a door or window is provided comprising a generally rectangular plate shaped structure for being pivotably mounted in a door frame or a window frame, respectively, and having a front, a back, a bottom, a top and two opposite sides, wherein the plate shaped structure is provided, at the top and/or at least one side, with an air seal and a separate moisture seal

By providing at the top and/or at least one side of the rectangular plate shaped structure of the door or window, an air seal and a separate moisture seal, air and moisture penetration can be counteracted

independently of each other, in an optimized manner. Therefore, an relatively high resistance against both air and moisture can be realized.

Advantageously, the plate shaped structure is provided with a groove between the air seal and the moisture seal, thereby realizing a buffer volume for reducing any increase of pressure between the air seal and the moisture seal, to further counteract any water penetration.

The invention also relates to a door sill forming a bottom portion of a door frame for pivotably carrying a door, the door sill comprising a generally block shaped structure including an upwardly extending barrier element running mainly parallel to a length direction of the generally block shaped structure and contacting an exterior stop surface of a laterally extending portion of the door, in a closed position of the door, wherein an upper surface of the generally block shaped structure at an indoors side of the barrier element is higher than an upper surface of the generally block shaped structure at an outdoors side of the barrier element, thereby realizing a relatively large water column protection.

In an advantageous embodiment, the door sill further comprises a ride up plate having a generally beveled upper surface, the ride up plate being located, as a separate element or integrally formed with the door sill, at the outdoors side offset from the barrier element, defining a buffer volume between the ride up plate and the barrier element, also realizing a low relief door sill as the ride up plate at least partially compensates the height difference between the upper surface of the generally block shaped structure at the indoors side versus the outdoors side.

Further advantageous embodiments according to the invention are described in the following claims.

It should be noted that the technical features described above or below may each on its own be embodied in a system i.e. isolated from the context in which it is described, separate from other features, or in combination with only a number of the other features described in the context in which it is disclosed. Each of these features may further be combined with any other feature disclosed, in any combination. The invention will now be further elucidated on the basis of a number of exemplary embodiments and an accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic front view of a door and a window according to the invention,

Fig. 2 shows a schematic cross sectional partial view of the door shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 shows a schematic top view of a door sill shown in Fig. 2.

It is noted that the figures show merely a preferred embodiment according to the invention. In the figures, the same reference numbers refer to equal or corresponding parts.

Figure 1 shows a schematic front view of a door 1 and a window 2 according to the invention. The door 1 is depicted at the left-hand side, while the window 2 is depicted at the right-hand side in Fig. 1. Both the door 1 and the window 2 have a generally rectangular plate shaped structure 10 provided with a front 11, a back 12, a bottom 13, a top 14, a first side 15 and a second side 16, opposite to the first side 15. The door 1 and the window 2 are each pivotably mounted in a frame 17, viz. a door frame 17a and a window frame 17b, using a set of hinges 78, 79 so that the door 1 and window 2 may rotate around a vertical axis V in frame 17 that is typically fixedly mounted in a wall of a building. In a closed position, the door 1 and window 2 closes the frame 17. When opening the door 1 or window 2, from the closed position, the door 1 or window 2 swivels inwardly, i.e. in an indoors direction, towards the interior of the building.

Figure 2 shows a schematic cross sectional partial view of the door 1 shown in Fig. 1. Specifically, the top 14 and the bottom 13 of the door 1, separated by a splitting curve 20, are shown in a cross section view. The cross section is transverse to the front 12 and back 13 of the generally rectangular plate shaped structure 10, and from bottom 13 to top 14.

Similarly, Fig. 2 also shows a top 18 of the door frame 17, also called hntel 18, and a bottom 19 of the door frame 17, also called door sill 19, both in cross sectional view. Further, Fig. 2 shows a side 21 of the frame 17.

The generally rectangular plate shaped structure 10 has laterally extending portions, i.e. extending in directions transverse to the facing directions of the front 11 and back 12 of the door 1, in other words extending in directions in a plane wherein the door 1 mainly extends, at the bottom 13, the top 14, the first side 15 and the second side 16 of the door 1. Generally, the plate shaped structure 10 includes an outdoors facing portion 22 and an indoors facing portion 23, formed as a single piece or mounted together from separate construction elements. The indoors facing portion 23 has the laterally extending portions described above.

As shown in Fig. 2, the indoors facing portion 23 has a

downwardly extending portion 10a, at the bottom 13 of the door 1, beyond a bottom surface 31 of the outdoors facing portion 22, and an upwardly extending portion 10b, at the top 14 of the door, beyond a top surface 32 of the outdoors facing portion 22. In a similar way, the indoors facing portion 23 has sidewardly extending portions, extending beyond a side surface of the outdoors facing portion 22. The door frame 17a is provided with corresponding recesses 17’, 17” for receiving the upwardly, downwardly and sidewardly extending portions 10b of the plate shaped structure 10. As shown in Fig. 2, the lintel 18 of the door frame 17a has a staggered profile starting from an indoors back surface 24 as an indoors segment 25 extending in the outdoors direction OD and mainly parallel therewith, turning downwardly as a stop contour segment 26, and running again in the outdoors direction OD, mainly parallel therewith, as an outdoors segment 27 ending at an outdoors front surface 28 of the lintel 18. The indoor segment 25 and the stop contour segment 26 of the lintel staggered profile define an upper recess 17’ for receiving the upwardly extending portion 10b of the plate shaped structure 10.

The downwardly extending portion 10a has a downwardly facing surface 35 and a surface facing in an outdoors direction OD, also referred to as a bottom exterior stop surface 33. In a closed position of the door 1, the bottom exterior stop surface 33 contacts the door frame 17a, via a first air seal 33a, in Dutch: kaderdichting, located on said bottom exterior stop surface 33. Similarly, the upwardly extending portion 10b has an upwardly facing surface 36 and a surface facing in the outdoors directions OD, also referred to as a top exterior stop surface 34. In a closed position of the door 1, the top exterior stop surface 34 contacts the door frame 17a, at the stop contour segment 26 of the lintel 18, via a second air seal 34a located on said top exterior stop surface 34.

Generally, the plate shaped structure 10 of the door 1 has a generally staggered edge contour, at the bottom 13, top 14, first side 15 and second side 16, starting from the back 12 as a laterally extended contour segment 35, 36 along the laterally extended portion 10a, 10b of the structure 10, turning inwardly as a stop contour segment 33, 34 along the bottom and top exterior stop surface 10a, 10b, and running towards the front 11 as an inwardly staggered contour segment 31, 32 along an inwardly staggered portion of the plate shaped structure 10. Here, the inwardly staggered portion of the plate shaped structure 10 is also referred to as the outdoors facing portion 22, while the laterally extended contour segment is also referred to as the downwardly facing surface 35 and the upwardly facing surface 36. Further, the inwardly staggered contour segment 31, 32 is also referred to as the bottom surface 31 of the outdoors facing portion 23 and the top surface 32 of the outdoors facing portion 22.

The first air seal 33a is located at the bottom 13 of the door 1, while the second air seal 33b is located at the top 14 of the door 1. Similarly, a third air seal and a fourth air seal are located at the first side 15 and the second side 16 of the door 1, respectively. The first, second, third and fourth air seal 33a, b are located at the exterior stop surface 33a, 33b of the laterally extending portions 10a, b of the door structure 10. Further, the first, second, third and fourth air seal 33a, b can be provided as separate air seals forming a chain of air seals around the door 1 or can be provided as a single air seal surrounding the door 1. The air seals 33a, b can be

implemented as a resilient sealing element such as a multiple sided, e.g. four sided, elastic or rubber element. The air seals can be attached to the exterior stop surface 33a, b of the laterally extending portions 10a, b of the door structure 10 using a mounting technique such as an adhesive or a screw connecting.

The plate shaped structure 10 is further provided, in the shown embodiment, with a separate moisture seal 32a, in Dutch: waterkering, extending along the top 14, the first side 15 and the second side 16 of said structure 10. It is noted that, in principle, the separate moisture seal 32a may be applied in a restricted manner, e.g. extending along the top 14 and a single side 15, 16 of the plate shaped structure 10, or extending merely along a single or both sides 15, 16 of the plate shaped structure 10, or partially extending along the top 14 and the sides 15, 16 of the plate shaped structure 10, e.g. in case a moisture barrier element is provided on a corresponding portion of the door frame 17.

Similar to the air seal 33a, 33b, also the moisture seal 32a can be implemented as multiple seal elements forming a seal chain or as a single integrated seal 32.

The moisture seal 32a can be implemented as a resilient sealing element such as a multiple sided, e.g. having a V-profde, elastic or rubber element. The moisture seal 32a can be attached to the door structure 10 using a mounting technique such as an adhesive, a screw connecting or a clamping mechanism. In the shown embodiment, the moisture seal 32a is attached to the top surface 32 of the outdoors facing portion 22 using a clamping mechanism inserting a clamping portion 32b of the moisture seal 32a in a groove 32c in the plate shaped structure 10. Generally, the moisture seal can be located on the inwardly staggered contour segment 32 of the generally staggered edge contour of the plate shaped structure 10, also at the first and second side 15, 16 thereof. The moisture seal 32a is located at a distance from the air seal 34a, in the outdoors direction OD.

In the embodiment of the door 1 shown in Fig. 2, the plate shaped structure is provided with a groove 32 d, between the air seal 34a and the moisture seal 32a to reduce an increase of pressure in the intermediate space between the moisture seal 32a and the air seal 34a so as to minimize any moisture penetration into the building. The presence of the groove 32d also increases a moisture path length that moisture has to follow before reaching the air seal 34a, thereby further minimizing moisture penetration. It is noted that, in principle, the groove can also be provided in the outdoors ί segment 27 of the door frame 17a, at a corresponding location between the air seal 34a and the moisture seal 32a. Also, both a groove in the top surface 32 of the outdoors facing portion 22 of plate shaped structure 10 as well a groove in the door frame 17a facing said top surface 32 of the outdoors facing portion 22 can be applied.

The door 1 shown in Fig. 2 is further provided with a throat 37 mounted on the front 11 of the plate shaped structure 10. The lower surface 38 of the throat 37 as well as the lower bottom surface 31 of the outdoors facing portion 23 of the plate shaped structure 10 is provided with a single or multiple number of grooves 39a-c for increasing a moisture path length towards the air seal 33a at the bottom of the door 1. However, in principle, more or less grooves 39 could be apphed to the lower bottom surface 31 and the throat lower surface 38, or with no grooves 39 at the lower surfaces 31, 38 at all. Further, the door 1 can be provided without throat 37, in Dutch: weldorpel.

The plate shaped structure 10 of the door shown in Fig. 1 includes a flexible isolation plate 60 provided with resilient cellulose material, e.g. from EverUse, thereby providing excellent sound insulation, high heat resistance and cradle to cradle properties. However, also other insulation material can be applied.

Figure 3 shows a schematic top view of the door sill 19 shown in Fig. 2. Also referring to Fig. 2, the bottom 19 of the door frame 17, also called door sill 19, comprises a generally block shaped structure 48 extending in a length direction L, mainly parallel with the orientation of the downwardly facing surface 35 of the downwardly extending portion 10a of the door 1. The block shaped structure 48 is provided with an indoors end 40, an outdoors end 41 and an upwardly extending barrier element 51 running mainly parallel to said length direction L. When the door 1 is in a closed position, the barrier element 51 contacts the bottom exterior stop surface 33 of the door 1, via the air seal 33a. The barrier element 51 further serves as a moisture barrier blocking moisture flowing into the building.

The generally block shaped structure 48 of the door sill 19 further includes an upper surface 50 at an indoors side ID of the barrier element 51 and an upper surface 52 at an outdoors side OD of the barrier element 51. Here, the upper surface 50 at the indoors side ID is higher than the upper surface 52 at the indoors side ID, thereby providing a gap or open channel 53 at the outdoors side OD of the barrier element 51, serving as a volume buffer reducing an increase of pressure in said intermediate space for reducing any moisture entering indoors. Further, an high water column protection can be obtained, e.g. up to circa 290 Pascal. The height of the barrier element 51 relative to the outdoors upper surface 52 can be several centimeters, e.g. at least circa 1 centimeter. As an example, said height can be greater than circa 2 centimeter, e.g. circa 3 centimeter or more, e.g. circa 4 centimeter.

On the other hand, the height of the barrier element 51 relative to the indoors upper surface 50 is less, e.g. circa 1 centimeter or circa 2 centimeter less than the height relative to the outdoors upper surface 52. As an example, the height of the barrier element 51 relative to the indoors upper surface 50 is circa 1 centimeter.

As shown in Fig. 3, the upper surface 52 of the generally block shaped structure 48 at the outdoors side of the barrier element 51 is beveled downwardly towards the outdoors end 41 of the block shaped structure 48, away from the barrier element 51, thereby flowing moisture received on said upper surface 52 outwardly in the outdoors direction OD.

The door sill 19 further comprises a ride up plate 54 having a generally beveled upper surface 55, the ride up plate 54 being located, as a separate element or integrally formed with the door sill 19, at the outdoors side offset from the barrier element 51, defining the gap, open channel 53 or buffer volume between the ride up plate 54 and the barrier element 51, thereby bridging the open channel depth, providing effectively a low relief door sill. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the door sill 19 further comprises two open channels 56, next to the ride up plate 54 extending from the buffer volume 53 downwardly to the outdoors end 41 of the block shaped structure 48, thereby facilitating moisture accumulated in the buffer volume 53 to flow outwardly. Apparently, as an alternative, more than two open channels can be applied, or just a single open channel. Further, the door sill can be provided without the open channels, then preferably including an alternative drain functionality such as a drain channel through the block shaped structure 48.

Optionally, the generally block shaped structure 48 of the door sill 19 and/or the ride up plate 54 has been formed as an extrusion profile.

However, other production techniques can be used for forming the generally block shaped structure 48, such as a moulding technique.

Fig. 3 further shows a first side 15’ and a second side 16’ of the door frame 17, at least a lower portions of said first and second side 15’, 16’, in Dutch: neut:, having a similar staggered profile 15”, 16”, as the top 18 of the door frame 17, also called hntel 18, shown in Fig. 2, for receiving the sidewardly extending portions of the generally rectangular plate shaped structure of the door 1 having an air seal and a separate moisture seal as described above.

The window 2 shown in Fig. 1 may have the same structure as the door 1 described in more detail referring to Fig. 2.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiments described above. It will be understood that many variants are possible.

These and other embodiments will be apparent for the person skilled in the art and are considered to fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. For the purpose of clarity and a concise description features are described herein as part of the same or separate embodiments. However, it will be appreciated that the scope of the invention may include embodiments having combinations of all or some of the features described.