The present invention relates to a prefabricated window casing of the kind which consists of a number of panel sections suited to be adapted and arranged around an actual opening in a wall, said panel sections being interconnected by cooperating connect sections, so that the panel sections and the connect sections in common forms the casing for a window suited for the opening, and said casing comprising anchoring means for anchoring it on the wall and in the sides of the opening.

Such window casings are par example used in new buildings, where the inner walls are raised and where the window openings shall be equipped with window casings prior to mounting of windows. The casings may also be used in performing additional isolation of existing buildings where the additional isolation is arranged on the outside surface of the outer walls, and where new outer cladding are subsequently mounted.

The traditional window casings are typical made of wood, where each side of the window casing are adapted in-situ, where after the single parts are supplied with angle brackets and the casing is subsequently attached to the wall around the window opening by nails or screws.

From DK 2008 00438 L is known a prefabricated window casing composed by two vertical side panels and an upper panel plate and a lower panel plate the single parts of which are formed with corner joints of extruded metal- or plastic edge profiles, where the first edge profile is fastened to the end surface of the adjacent side panel plate and the second edge profile is fastened to the corresponding end face of the overlying panel plate and further where the first edge profile is provided with a groove and the second edge profile with a for this groove match- ing, protruding profile rib, which by insertion into the groove being adapted to lock the two edge profiles together, for example by clamping action or by a per se known snap-locking effect. The above prior art has the weakness, that it is not immediately possible to make adjustment of the lengths of the side panels as this may generate a need for the establishment of a new abutment profile rib for insertion into the corner joint groove, which requires access to precision milling equipment.

Further, the above solution is not air and vapour tight, which often are required for construction and renovation of buildings because of greater requirements for insulation. Furthermore, the known solutions require the involvement of more people to perform the mounting, due to the weight of the assembled casing.

It is the object of the invention to provide a window casing that can be prefabricated and also easily adapted, assembled and mounted by one person, and which also is stable and provides good insulating properties. This object is achieved by a prefabricated window casing of the kind which consists of a number of panel sections suited to be adapted and arranged around an actual opening in a wall, said panel sections being interconnected by cooperating connect sections, so that the panel sections and the connect sections in common forms the casing for a window suited for the actual opening, and said casing comprising anchoring means for anchoring it on the wall and in the sides of the opening, characterized in, that the panel sections in an actual window casing consists of a number of oblong profile bodies with same breadth/width, comprising a first end and a second end, a first side and a second side and a first outer surface and a second inner outer surface, said oblong profile bodies comprises a number of parallel extending cavities with open ends, of which a number are divided up respectively in a cavity and first sub cut tracks the openings of which appears as slits in the first outer surface, and said connect sections comprises protruding locking cams which cooperates with the first sub cut tracks in the oblong profile bodies, and said connect sections further comprises a first stop surface and a second stop surface which are cooperating with the first ends and the second ends of the oblong profile bodies, against said stop surfaces relevant ends of the profile bodies are in full contact, in the assembled window casing. Hereby is achieved a window casing, which can be produced in preferred measures to a current window opening in a wall, and which also can be adjusted in length using simple tools such as a saw. Furthermore, the combination of panel sections and stop surfaces of the connect sections contributes to that the window casing hereby becomes extremely insulating as that the parallel-extending cavities in the panel sections are blocked by the stop surfaces, so that the cavities of the panel sections are closed off, thus the air therein being stationary, providing optimum insulation properties of the casing. With the intent of ensuring a good retention between the connect sections and the panel sections, the locking cams of connect sections may have a wedge- shaped configuration at the end closest to panel section, and the largest outer periphery and geometry of said locking cams at least corresponds to the geometry of the first sub cut tracks.

This results in that the locking cams by insertion in the first undercut grooves, are clamped, whereby the friction between the outer sides of the locking cams and the facing sides of the first undercut groove is increased, which means that the joint between connect sections and panel sections, become stabile. The wedge shaped configuration of the locking cams has further the advantage that it becomes easier to introduce the locking cams in the first sub cut tracks.

With the intent to enable use of the window casing according to the invention for traditional window openings with rectangular basic shape, the connect sections may consist of corner profiles of an angle piece with a mainly W-shaped cross section, the first sides of which comprises the protruding locking cams at the against the centre of the W-shaped cross section adjacent sides, and the parallel extending connected second sides comprises the stop surfaces, the surfaces of which are oriented orthogonally.

With the intent to make the window casing stable, the second outer surfaces of the W-shaped corner profiles may comprise spaced stiffening ribs. Hereby is achieved that the windows casing becomes stable with respect to transversely directed forces.

With the intent to make the window casing according to the invention more stable, the against the wall adjacent side of the W-shaped corner profiles may comprise an outwardly sloped course ended with a flange extending parallel with the stiffening ribs bounded of the parallel extending joined sides facing against the centre of the W-shaped cross section, and which extends outside the outside surfaces of the W-shaped corner profile.

This results in an increased stability of the corner profiles, and therewith of the whole window casing.

With the intent easily to enable attachment of the window casing according to the invention on a wall surface surrounding an actual window opening, the flange may comprise openings for anchoring means suited to be fastened in the wall around the opening for the window.

With the intent to achieve an efficient retain of the window casing according to the invention it may further comprise a number of support legs to be arranged and locked in one of the sub-cut tracks in the first outer surface, said support legs each comprises a first basis part which extends into a course length which forms a first angle with the first basis part, said course length extending into a second basis part which forms a second angle with the course length, and where the sum of the first angle and the second angle is 90 degrees, said first basis part comprising a locking tap suited for introduction in an actual slit shaped opening in an actual slit shaped track orthogonal to the first outer surface, and to be locked in said track, by a 90 degree turn of the support leg. Hereby is achieved a swift and easy mounting of support ribs which typically are mounted along the outer surface of the window casing, preferably on the lower side of the window casing to support this. Further this result in a window casing according to the invention can be supplied as "flat-pack", which makes it substantially more cost efficient to transport from the production location to the mounting location. With the intent to ease the attachment of the window casing according to the invention to the wall around the window opening, the second basis part may comprise openings for receiving anchoring means suited to be fastened into the wall around the opening in the wall.

Hereby the attachment of the window casing is eased considerably, as the fastenings means shall not first be drilled through the basis part.

With the intent to control and retain the window casing according to the in- vention in the window opening, the panel sections may further comprise at least a second sub cut track, the opening of which appears as slits in the second inner outer surface of the window casing, and further comprise a number of clips for arranging and fastening in the second sub-cut track in the second outer surface, said clips consists of an oblong plate shaped body with a first side and a second side, with a first end and a second end, and a first long side and a second long side, where the first side near the first end comprises a first locking pin cooperating with the second sub-cut track to be introduced into the second sub-cut track in a position where the long sides of the plate shaped body are oriented parallel with the second sub-cut track, and a locked position wherein said long sides are oriented transversely to the second sub-cut track.

It is hereby achieved a swift and easy performance of mounting of a preferred number of clips for retaining and controlling of the window casing according to the invention in the opening in the wall around which the window casing accord- ing to the invention is mounted, as the clips in the correct mounted position vill extend backwardly and into the opening in the wall and abut the wall.

It is preferred that the oblong plate shaped bodies closest to the second flat side end comprises openings for receiving anchoring means suited to be fastened into the wall around the opening in the wall.

Hereby is achieved a more swift and easy attachment of the window casing in the opening in the wall, and again, that a whole window casing may be packaged as "flat-pack", which provides for an easier transportation and more space efficient storage than for the known window casings. It is preferred that the panel sections, the connect sections the support legs and the clips comprised by window casing according to the invention consists of extruded and molded plastic items.

The advantage is, that the weight of an entire window casing in an overall package becomes relatively light, and may be carried by a single person, while the of the single parts assembled window casing nevertheless be just as stable as the well-known window casings thanks to the panel sections cell/channel structure, and the strengthening ribs and abutment flange of the connect sections.

The invention is explained in more detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a window casing according to the invention, for mounting on a wall,

Fig. 2 is a front view of the window casing shown in Fig. 1 , in assembled condition with an inserted window, mounted on a wall surface,

Fig. 3 is a side-view of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a side-sectional view of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of an embodiment of a panel section belonging to the window casing,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a connect section belonging to the window casing,

Fig. 7 is an end view if Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 an inner side-view of Fig. 6 and fig. 7, disclosing the stop surfaces for abutment with the cooperating panel sections,

Fig. 9 is an end side-view of Fig. 6, showing the end opposite the end disclosed in Fig. 7,

Fig. 10 is an outer side-view of Fig. 6 and fig. 7, disclosing the stiffening ribs of the connect section,

Fig. 10, 1 1 , 12, 13, 14 and 15 is a sectional view of the panel section shown in Fig. 5, during the insertion of a support leg belonging to the window casing according to the invention,

Fig. 16 is a front view of the window casing in Fig. 1 , ready for mounting around an opening in a wall,

Fig. 17 is a side view of the window casing shown in Fig. 16, Fig. 18 is a side sectional view along the line B-B of the window casing shown in Fig. 16, showing how a clips is inserted, and

Fig. 19 is a perspective section of a window casing according to the invention, with mounted clips in the undercut track in the second inner outer surface of the panel sections.

In Fig. 1 is disclosed an embodiment of a window casing 2 according to the invention in perspective exploded view seen obliquely from the front 4. The window casing 2 in the shown embodiment has a rectangular shape in assembled state, suited for mounting about an opening 6 in a wall 8 (c.f. Fig. 2).

In the shown embodiment of the window casing 2 according to the invention, it comprises a lower, horizontally orientated rectangular panel section 10, an upper horizontally orientated rectangular panel section 12, where the panel sections 10, 12 are of equal length, a first vertical oriented panel section 14, a second vertical oriented panel section 16, where the panel sections 14, 16 are equal of length, four equally formed connect sections 18, two equally formed support legs 20, and a number of equally formed clips 22. Each panel section 10, 12, 14, 16 comprises a first end 1 1 , a second end 13, a first side 15 and a second side 17, and a first outer surface 19, and a second inner outer surface 21 .

Fig. 2 discloses the window casing 2 according to the invention shown in Fig. 1 in assembled state and mounted about an opening 6 in a wall 8, with an inserted window 7.

Fig. 3 discloses a side view of the embodiment of the window casing 2 according to the invention, shown in Fig. 2. It appears that the support legs 20 are in abutment with the outer surface of the wall, and how the clips 22 protrudes into the opening 6 in the wall for the window casing 2 according to the invention.

Fig. 4 shows a side section view along the line A-A, the location of two of the clips 22 in the opening 6 in the wall 8 for the window casing 2 according to the invention. Fig. 5 shows a sectional view of the adapted, oblong rectangular profile bodies 24 of which the panel sections 10, 12, 14, 16 are made. As it appears in Fig. 5 the profile the profile bodies has a cell structure 26 which result in a number of parallel cavities 28, 29, which with few exceptions 30, 32, 34, 36 has a rectangular section. The cell structure 26 results in that the profile bodies 24 at the same time achieve a satisfactory static stability, while the weight of the profile bodies 24 can be kept on a minimum. Also resulted in the cell structure 26, the panel sections have excellent insulation properties in combination with the connect sections 18, how, will be described later. As is apparent from Fig. 3, 4 and 5, the profile bodies 24 becomes gradually thicker closest to against the wall 8 adjacent side 38. This concerns specifically the three cavities 30, 32, 34, which is motivated by the desire that the profile bodies 24 in this path, should have a greater resistance torque, since the torque load is much higher here, on the profile bodies 24 which forms the window casing 2. The parallel-extending cavities 28, 30, 32, 34 comprise a plurality of walls 40, 42, 44, whereby the cell structure 26 is formed.

A number of the cavities 28 are divided up in a cavity 28 and a first sub cut track 29, the openings 48 of which appears as slits 50 in the first outer surface 19. The first sub cut tracks 29 serves several purposes which is described in the following.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a connect section 18, 52 for the assembly of panel sections 10, 12, 14, 16, belonging to a window casing 2 according to the invention. The illustrated embodiment of the connecting section 52 is eyed for joints of panel sections 10, 12, 14, 16 to window casings 2 for common known rectangular window openings 6 in walls 8. Fig. 7 is a side view of the connect section 18, shown in Fig. 6, viewed from the against the wall 8 facing side of the connect section 18, 52, Fig. 8 is an internal side view of Fig 6 and 7, showing the stop surfaces 54 for abutment with the cooperating with panel sections 10, 12, 14, 16, Fig 9 is an end view of the embodiment in Fig 6 of the connecting section 18, 52, seen from the free projecting end of the connect section 18, 52, and Fig. 10 is an exterior side view of Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 showing the stiffening ribs 56 on the outer side 58 of the connect sections 52.

As is apparent from Fig. 6-9, the connect sections comprises locking cams 60 having a slightly wedge-shaped course 62 from the narrowest piece extending from the free end 64 of the locking cams and the full width of the locking cams, where the largest outer perimeter and geometry at least corresponds to the geometry of the first undercut tracks 29 (see particularly Fig. 7 and Fig. 9). As it also appears from Fig. 9, the connect sections 18, 52 in the shown embodiment consists of the actual corner profiles, consisting of an angle piece 66 having a substantially W-shaped cross-section 68, the first sides 70 of which, at the towards the centre 72 of the W-shaped cross-section 68 facing sides 69, include the projecting locking cams 60 and the contiguous other sides 53 running in parallel, includes the stop surfaces 54, the surfaces of which are mutually orthogonally oriented, as can be seen from Fig. 7 and more clearly from Fig. 9. As is apparent from Fig. 6 and more clearly in Fig. 8, comprises the opposed wall 8 confronting side of the W-shaped connect sections 18, 52 an outwardly sloping course 74, ended with an abutment flange 76 running parallel with the stiffening ribs, bounded of the parallel extending joined sides 53 at the towards the centre 72 of the W-shaped section 68 facing side, and which projects a distance beyond the outwardly facing sides of the W-shaped corner profile. Hereby the connect sections 18, 52 will follow the rectangular profile bodies 24 as the panel sections 10, 12, 14, 16 are formed of. As further seen in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 the abutment flange 76 reinforced with ribs 78 on the against the wall 8 oriented side, making abutment flange 76 stronger and capable to absorb torque forces.

In a not shown embodiment of the window casing according to the invention, the abutment flange may comprise openings for receiving the fastening means intended for fastening in the wall 6 around the opening 8 around which the window casing 2 is to be mounted.

In Fig. 1 1 -15 is shown how the support legs 20 belonging to the window casing 2 according to the invention is inserted and fixed in one of the undercut tracks 29 in the first outer surface 19, said support legs 20 each comprise a first base part 80 which extends into a course length 82 which forms a first angle Vi with the first base part 80, said course length 82 extending into a second basis part 84 which forms a second angle V ₂ with the course length, and wherein the sum of the first angle Vi and the second angle V ₂ is 90 degrees, said first base course 80 comprising a locking tap 86 cooperating with a current sub-cut track 29, introducing the locking tap 86 into a current slot-shaped opening 50 of a current sub-cut track 29 perpendicular to the first outer surface 19, and to be locked in the same current track 29, by a 90 degree rotation of the support leg 20 As clearly seen from Fig. 1 1 -14, the second base course 84 of the support leg 20 comprises openings 88 for receiving securing means intended to be introduced into the wall 8 around the opening 6 in the wall 8.

As is apparent from Fig. 16-19, but most clearly from Fig. 18 and Fig. 19 the panel sections 10, 12, 14, 16 further includes at least a second sub-cut track, the opening 92 of which appears as slits in the other inner outer surface 21 . The second sub-cut tracks 90 are intended for attachment of clips 22 belonging to the window casing.

The clips 22 belonging to the window casing 2 according to the invention, to be arranged and fastened in the second sub-cut track 90 in the second, inner outer surface 21 , consists of an oblong, plate shaped body 96 with a first side 100 and a second side 102, with a first end 104 and a second end 106, and a first long side 108 and a second long side 1 10, where the first side 100, close to the first end 104 comprises a cooperating locking cam 91 to be introduced into the second sub-cut track 90 in a position where the long sides 108, 1 10 of the plate shaped body 96 are oriented parallel to the second sub-cut track 90, and in a locked posi- tion where said long sides 108, 1 10 are oriented transversely to the second sub- cut track 90.

In a not shown embodiment of the window casing according to the invention, the elongated plate body 96 comprises closest to the second end 106 openings for receiving the fastening means intended to be introduced into the wall 8 surrounding the opening in the wall for the window casing 2.

For reasons of obtaining low weight of the window casing according to the invention, it is preferred that the panel sections 10, 12, 14, 16, the connect sections sections 18, the support legs 20 and the clips 96 is formed of extruded and molded items of plastic.

Typically, a window casing according to the invention will be delivered to a construction site as "flat-pack", with the panel sections 10, 12, 14, 16 adapted to an actual opening 6 in a wall 8. After unpacking the window casing 2 according to the invention the panel sections 10, 12, 14, 16 are assembled by means of the connect sections 18, by inserting the locking cams 60 into the cooperating sub-cut tracks 29 so that the first ends 1 1 and second ends 13 of the panel sectionsl O, 12, 14, 16, is brought into abutment with the stop surfaces 54 of connect sections 18, whereby the parallel-extending cavities 28, will appear as closed, and the window casing will become insulating. The wedge-shaped portion 62 of the locking cams 60 facilitates the insertion of the locking cams 60 into the sub-cut tracks 29 of the first outer surfaces 19.

When the assembly of window casing 2 has been completed the support legs 20 are inserted in the sub-cut tracks 29 in the first outer surface, by introducing the locking cam 86 of the support leg in the relevant slot-shaped opening 50. The locking cam 86 is substantially rectangular in its basic shape, and is located on a stalk the length of which substantially corresponds to the thickness of the confronting side of the sub-cut track. The width of the locking cam 86 is adapted so that it can pass through the slit-shaped openings 48, 50 of the first outer surfaces 19 of panel sections 10, 12, 14, 16, and project into the sub-cut track 29. In this position is made a 90 degree rotation of the support leg 20, wherein the second base course 84 of the support leg 20 is displaced to a position where it extends in the same plane 83 (see Fig. 15) as the towards the wall oriented portion of the window casing 2.

Subsequently the clips 22 are inserted in the second sub-cut tracks 90 in the second, internal, outer surface 21 . The clips 96 comprise a locking cam 91 (indicated in Fig. 18), which in the design is similar to the described locking cam 86 of the support leg 20 and the clips are fastened in the second sub-cut tracks 90 in the same way as described above.

Subsequently the thus assembled ready window casing 2 according to the invention is lifted up to the relevant opening in a wall 8, where it is fastened by fastening means, introduced into the openings 88 in the second basis courses 84 on the support legs 20 and into the wall 8, and by fastening means driven through the clips 96 and into the wall 8 in the opening 6 for the window casing 2. Hereafter it will be possible to perform mounting of a window with frame etc. in the mounted window casing 2. The inventor has recognized that the window casing 2 according to the invention may take other designs than the above described and shown in the drawings. For example, the width and the thickness of the panel sections may vary, as can the number of cavities and sub-cut tracks. However, this does not alter the inventive aspect in a window casing, whose weight is significantly lower than the known window casings on the market and which are easy to assemble and adapt using simple tools for example a saw, if this exceptionally should be necessary, and the insulating ability of which is significantly better, without the strength properties of the window casing deteriorate.