ARRANGEMENT

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a balcony glazing arrangement comprising at least one horizontally slidable window, which comprises a sliding window frame and a window sash, which is openable mounted on the window frame by means of a vertically oriented hinge arrangement, wherein the window frame comprises at least a horizontal frame head and a horizontal frame, wherein the window sash comprises at least a window pane and a vertical side rail connected thereto.

Background of the Invention

It is known in the art to arrange windows of balcony glazings thus that they can be opened both by a sliding motion, by which windows can be stacked in front of each other, and by a turning motion, by which windows can be rotated inwards or outwards to an open state about a vertical axis along one window end.

For the sliding motion each window requires at least one supporting bottom carriage, which can form part of a horizontal frame sill of the window and runs along a horizontal bottom rail, and at least one supporting top carriage, which can form part of a horizontal frame head of the window and runs along a top rail in parallel with the bottom rail. For the turning motion for each window a hinge arrangement is used, which is connected both to the bottom carriage or frame sill and the top carriage or frame head of the window. As long as a window is not turned but in parallel with the bottom rail or frame sill and the top rail or frame head, it does not put much strain on these since most forces are confined within a narrow space defined by the bottom rail and the top rail. Flowever, as soon as a window is turned to an open state around the vertical axis of the hinge arrangement the weight of the window comes into play and puts an essential strain on the carriages or the frame sill and head in a direction in which the weight is pointing.

The essential strain caused by the turned open window tends to deflect the carriages or the frame sill and head and thereby to cause bending of the hinge arrangement thus that its axis becomes curved. This does to a user cause a bad feel as it renders the opening and closing operation less accurate and difficult.

One way to minimize deflection is to connect a lower carriage or frame sill and an upper carriage or frame head with each other by means of a sturdy frame column, which e.g. can comprise an aluminum section. However, such a column reduces the glazed area of the window and affects the window appearance and material and assembly costs in a negative way.

Against that background it is an object of the present invention to improve a balcony glazing arrangement according to the preamble such that function, feel and appearance fulfil the highest demands and such that material and assembly costs are kept low.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention this object is achieved in a balcony glazing arrangement according to the preamble in that the hinge arrangement comprises a continuous hinge pin, which rotatably runs through said vertical side rail from the frame head to the frame sill, wherein the hinge pin comprises ends, which are non-rotably connected to the frame head and the frame sill, and wherein a first one of the ends of the hinge pin is arranged to render application of a fastener possible, which, when tightened, contracts the frame head and the frame sill onto said vertical side rail.

The key to the invention is the contraction of the frame head and the frame sill onto the vertical side rail, which forms part of the window sash and not of the window frame. By this play can be reduced to a minimum, which renders it possible to significantly reduce size of the vertical frame jamb that connects hinge side ends of the frame head and frame sill with each other or even to totally eliminate that frame jamb. Thus, appearance can be improved, function and feel be optimized and material and mounting costs be minimized. The fastener can for instance comprise of a threaded means, such as a bolt or nut, a wedge arrangement or any other means that enables the desired contraction.

According to one embodiment the frame head at its hinge side end comprises a shaped first block, which abuts against and fits into an end of a horizontal section part of the frame head. And, according to the same embodiment or alternatively, the frame sill at its hinge side end comprises a shaped second block, which abuts against and fits into an end of a horizontal section part of the frame sill, wherein said first and second blocks each comprise a vertical hole fitting an end of the hinge pin. The blocks can easily be shaped e.g. by casting or extruding and machining and form a sturdy interface to the frame head and frame sill, to which they e.g. can be attached by means of form fitment and screws.

Preferably, although throughout an opposite arrangement is possible as well, a first end of the hinge pin is an upper end and comprises a horizontal hole used for a screw to connect the upper end of the hinge pin with said first block and to connect said first block with a section part of the frame head. The screw in the horizontal hole prevents rotation of the hinge pin in relation to the frame head, thus that the bolt vertically inserted in the hinge pin can be tightened without need to further prevent the hinge pin from rotation.

Preferably, said horizontal hole is oblong or oversized in relation to said screw to render contraction of the frame head and the frame sill onto said vertical side rail possible. As indicated before, a main purpose of the horizontal hole and its screw is to prevent the hinge pin to rotate in relation to the frame head, but at the same time it is important that it does not hinder tightening of the fastener, to which the oblong or oversized dimension serves.

If required by the material of the first block, a washer is inserted in and abuts onto said first block of the frame head, wherein said fastener on the first end of the hinge pin is tightened onto said washer. The washer serves to create a tightening space between the fastener and the hinge pin.

Preferably, although throughout an opposite arrangement is possible as well, a second end of the hinge pin is a lower end and comprises at least one horizontal hole used for a screw to connect the lower end of the hinge pin with said second block and said second block with a section part of the frame sill. The second block forms a sturdy and easy accomplished interface to the frame sill by means of the screw and, preferably, by means of form fitment too.

According to a possible embodiment, the vertical holes of the first and second block comprise vertical channels opposite to said ends of the horizontal section parts of the frame head and the frame sill, in which channels apertured sliding blocks fit, which are insertable between the hinge pin and said screws. The sliding blocks serve to protect the first and second block from direct contact with the horizontal screws and thus to preserve their integrity.

Preferably, bushings, which surround the hinge pin, are arranged between the frame head and the frame sill and the vertical side rail. The bushing disks minimize friction and do therefore improve feel and function.

Alternatively, the bushings comprise sleeve portions, which surround the hinge pin and protrude into said vertical side rail. Such a sleeve portion serves to minimize play and friction and thus also to improve feel and function.

Preferably, bushing sleeves, which are mounted on the hinge pin, are arranged inside said vertical side rail. The bushing sleeves help to localize and stabilize the hinge pin within the vertical side rail.

Preferably, the bushing sleeves and the hinge pin comprise indexing interfaces. Thanks to the indexing interfaces, such as internal protrusions in the bushing sleeves and indexing holes along the hinge pin, mounting of the hinge pin inside the vertical side rail is rendered easier.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will hereafter be described in more detail and with reference being had to the appended schematic drawings, on which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a window of a balcony glazing in a closed state;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the window while turning into an open state; Fig. 3 is a broken view of a hinge side top portion of the window;

Fig. 4 is a broken view of a hinge side bottom portion of the window;

Fig. 5 is view showing further details of a hinge side of the window; and

Fig. 6 is a view showing end portions of a hinge pin.

Detailed Description of an Embodiment of the Invention

The described embodiment of the balcony glazing arrangement 1 comprises a number of horizontally slidable windows 2, of which one is shown in the drawings. The window 2, shown in its entirety figs. 1 and 2, comprises a sliding (c.f. arrow A in fig. 2) window frame 10 and a window sash 30, which holds a window pane 3 and is openable (c.f. arrow B in fig. 2) mounted on the window frame 10 by means of a vertically oriented hinge arrangement 40, which will be described in detail further below.

The window frame 10 comprises a horizontal frame head 11 , a horizontal frame sill 12 and a vertical frame jamb 13 that connects hinge side ends 1 T, 12’ of the frame head 11 and the frame sill 12 with each other. With the present invention, the vertical frame jamb 13 is an optional item and can be totally replaced by the hinge arrangement 40.

The window sash 30 comprises a horizontal top rail 31 , a horizontal bottom rail 32, a first vertical side rail 33 that connects hinge side ends 3T,

32’ of the top rail 31 and the bottom rail 32 with each other, and a second vertical side rail 34 that connects hinge remote side ends 31”, 32” of the top rail 31 and the bottom rail 32 with each other.

The hinge arrangement is generally depicted 40 and its details are shown in figs. 3 to 6. Its main component is a single hinge pin 41, which rotatably runs through said vertical side rail 33 from the frame head 11 to the frame sill 12.

The hinge pin 41 comprises of a circular cylindrical shaft or pipe of a suitable material, such as aluminum or steel. It has an upper first end portion 4T and a lower second end portion 41”, which are shown in detail in fig. 6. There it can be seen that the first end portion 4T is hollow and comprises a horizontal hole 43, and that the second end portion 41” comprises two horizontal holes 45 in parallel with the horizontal hole 43. The horizontal holes 43, 45 are through holes, and the single upper hole 43 is vertically oblong.

As shown in fig. 5, along its length the hinge pin 41 comprises the a number of indexing holes 51 , which are used to seat inside protrusions 50 of bushing sleeves 49 that surround the hinge pin 41. The bushing sleeves 49, which e.g. are made of plastics, serve to smoothly seat the hinge pin 41 inside the vertical side rail 33. The same purpose is served by sleeve portions 48 of bushing disks 47, which surround the hinge pin 41 at its end portions 4T and 41” and terminate the vertical side rail 33 on top and below. The bushing disks 47 are preferably made of plastics in order to form a smooth, low friction interface to the frame head 11 and frame sill 12.

The frame head 11 and frame sill 12 comprise aluminum sections 16, 17, which at their hinge side ends 1 T and 12’, respectively, are terminated by a first block 14 and a second block 15, which are cast or extruded of aluminum and then machined into their final shape.

The first block 14, which is shown in detail in fig. 3, is shaped to exactly fit and engage with the aluminum section 16 of the frame head 11. It comprises a vertical hole 18, which fits the upper end portion 4T of the hinge pin 41 and comprises a vertical channel 20 opposite to said end portion 16. In the vertical channel 20 a sliding block 22 fits, which is vertically insertable in the first block 14 between the first block 14 and the end portion 4T of the hinge pin 41.

The second block 15, which is shown in detail in fig. 4, is shaped to exactly fit and engage with the aluminum section 17 of the frame sill 11. It comprises a vertical hole 19, which fits the lower end portion 41” of the hinge pin 41 and comprises a vertical channel 21 opposite to the section part 17. In the vertical channel 21 a sliding block 23 fits, which is vertically insertable in the second block 15 between the second block 15 and the lower end portion 41” of the hinge pin 41.

Both the first block 14 and its sliding block 22 and the second block 15 and its sliding block 23 are apertured to accommodate horizontal screws 44, 46, which are arranged to pass through the horizontal holes 43, 45 of the hinge pin 41 and into the aluminum sections 16, 17 and comprise heads arranged to abut onto the sliding blocks 22, 23. Thus, the horizontal screws 43, 45 can be used to press the sliding blocks 22, 23 onto the hinge pin 41 and to firmly connect the first block 14 with its aluminum section 16 and the second block 15 with its aluminum section 17, while at the same time rotation of the hinge pin 41 in relation to the first block 14 and the second block 15 is prevented.

Now, in order to make the hinge arrangement as sturdy as possible, into the hollow first end 41 ’ of the hinge pin 41 a bolt 42 is vertically inserted through a washer 24, which is non-rotatably inserted into and abuts onto the first block 14 of the frame head 11. When tightened, the bolt 42 via the washer 24 tend to contract the frame head 11 and the frame sill 12 onto the vertical side rail 33 of the window sash 30, which is rendered possible thanks to the oblong horizontal hole 43 in the hinge pin 41. Thus, by first tightening the bolt 42 and then the horizontal screw 44 all possible play between the window frame 10 and the window sash 30 can be eliminated and function and feel when opening and closing the window 1 by turning be substantially improved.

It is apparent to the person skilled in the art that the described embodiment of the invention can be varied in many ways within the scope of the appendant claims. Thus, it is possible not only to eliminate the vertical frame jamb 13, but also the above sliding blocks 22, 23 and to let the horizontal screws 44, 46 interact directly with the hinge pin 41. Further, within the scope of the appendant claims it is possible as well to turn the whole arrangement upside down, that is to arrange the tightening fastener or bolt 42 at the bottom of the window 1.