FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The invention relates to slidingly and pivotably openable glazing structures.

BACKGROUND

It is well known to provide glazing structures on facades of buildings, where the glazing structure slidingly openable. Such a glazing structure is typically movable relative to stationary guiding rails guiding rails. This type of glazing structures are common in, e.g., balcony or terrace glazings. Besides the glazing structure being slidingly openable, it may also be desirable to allow the glazing structure being pivotably openable, thereby allowing to open up the glazing structure to a larger extent, facilitating the impression of being outside as well as cleaning or other maintenance. A known type of a glazing structure being openable both slidingly and pivotably has a suspension system comprising a first and a second longitudinally extending member whose ends hingely connect to the glazing structure, preferably via protruding axle portions of a window pane and complementary cavities of the longitudinally extending members, allowing the window pane to be pivotably opened. Due to its substantial weight, a pivotably openable glazing structure may exert a large torque load at the suspension system whenever the glazing structure is pivotably opened. Since the longitudinally extending members are configured to move along the guiding rails independently, pivotably opening of the glazing structure turns the longitudinally extending members longitudinally displaced along the guiding rails relative to each other, thereby inducing an undesirable tilt of the opened glazing structure. Apart from such a tilting being aesthetically unsatisfactory, the tilt complicates a pivotably closing of the glazing structure since the user then may have to lift the closing side in place. The problem may be partly overcome by manufacturing oversized rigid glazing structures comprising frame profiles having large dimensions. However, for the glazing structure to be visually appealing, sleek supporting structures are desired, thereby avoiding hefty metallic frame structures to dominate the visual appearance.

Thus, there is a need for an improved glazing structure that allows improved stability in terms of the addressed tilting problem and, at the same time, being visually appealing in that the metallic frames enclosing the windows, typically made of steel or aluminum, are as slim and visually insignificant as possible.

SUMMARY

In the light of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide a glazing structure that is both slidingly and pivotably openable such that, when the glazing structure is pivotably opened, the lateral and vertical stability of the glazing structure is enhanced, and at the same time being as slim and visually insignificant as possible.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a slidingly and pivotably openable glazing structure comprising a first and a second longitudinally extending member having a longitudinal extension and a longitudinally separated proximal and distal end respectively, wherein the glazing structure is movable along the longitudinal extension, and wherein a proximal transversely extending side of a hatch hingely connects to the proximal ends of the longitudinally extending members, said hatch being pivotable relative to said longitudinally extending members about a pivot axis substantially extending in a transverse extension being transverse to the longitudinal extension characterized in that a tilt-preventing member, aligned in the transverse extension, is attached to the proximal ends of said first and second longitudinally extending members, wherein said tilt-preventing member at least partly is located on a longitudinally opposing side of the pivot axis relative to the distal ends of said longitudinally extending members, and is, at least when the hatch is pivoted out of a geometrical plane spanned by the longitudinally extending members, exposed to a transversely extending tensile stress aligned substantially parallel to the pivot axis. Whenever the glazing structure refers to a pivotably opening, it is appreciated that the pivotably opening refers to the hatch, e.g., a window pane frame comprising a window pane being pivoted out of a geometrical plane spanned by the (pivotably closed) glazing structure. In this respect, the wording glazing structure, hatch, window pane frame, etc., may occasionally be used interchangeably below, which should not confuse the skilled person.

The tilt-preventing member may thereby prevent an undesirable tilt of the hatch while pivotably opened. The first longitudinally extending member and the second longitudinally extending member may otherwise be substantially longitudinally displaced relative to each other when said hatch is pivoted out of the geometrical plane. Put differently, a substantially straight angle of a geometrical L-shape formed by the first longitudinal member and the pivot axis may substantially be retained by the tilt-preventing member while the hatch is pivoted out of the geometrical plane. The glazing structure preferably has a quadrangular geometry, and more preferably has a substantially rectangular form when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the geometrical plane spanned by the longitudinally extending members. Whenever the hatch is said to be closed, the plane of the hatch substantially coincides with the geometrical plane spanned by the longitudinally extending members. Whenever the glazing structure is in installed position, i.e. when mounted on a facade, the longitudinal extension substantially coincides with the horizontal direction, and the transverse extension substantially coincides with the vertical direction.

The invention provides an enhanced horizontal and vertical stability whenever the hatch is pivotably opened in that the tilt-preventing member prevents a vertical downward displacement of the distal side of the hatch, i.e. on the side of the hatch where a locking mechanism is located. The tilt preventing member thereby prevents the longitudinally extending members becoming longitudinally displaced relative to each other, retaining the substantially rectangular form of the glazing structure also when the hatch is pivotably opened. Such a feature facilitates closing the hatch as the user thereby is not forced to lift the hatch in place upon pivotably closing. A further advantage is that the shear stress on a suspension assembly of the glazing frame structure is reduced, as the tilt-preventing member enhances a transverse alignment of the hinge system, which reduces an uneven load, thereby extending the lifetime of particularly loaded parts occurring when the hatch is repeatedly pivotably opened.

The tilt-preventing member, being attached between the first and the second longitudinally extending members at a longitudinally opposing side of the pivot axis relative to the distal ends of the longitudinally extending members, strengthens the structure whenever the hatch is pivotably opened.

The tilt-preventing member may be attached to the glazing structure without a priori being subjected to a tensile stress aligned substantially parallel to the pivot axis when the hatch is pivotably closed, i.e. when the plane of the hatch and the plane spanned by the longitudinally extending members are essentially parallel. Put in other words, the tilt-preventing member may be assembled with the longitudinally extending members as described above without being pretensioned. However, at least when the hatch is pivotably opened, the tilt-preventing member clamps the proximal side of the hatch between the frame members which may thereby significantly reduce a downwards vertical tilt of the hatch. An advantage of this feature is increased lateral stability as well as essentially eliminating a vertical play between the hatch and the longitudinally extending members, at least when the hatch is pivotably opened.

Further, the tilt-preventing member may preferably be arranged such that having a function as a protective lid, substantially covering the outermost side of the proximal side of the hatch from weather related issues and the like.

The tilt-preventing member may be attached to the proximal ends of said first and second longitudinally extending members by at least one tension screw allowing an adjustable transversely extending tensile stress in the tilt-preventing member, wherein the tensile stress is aligned substantially parallel to the pivot axis. As previously described, the tilt-preventing member may be mounted to the longitudinally extending members subjected to an essentially zero tensile stress parallel to the pivot axis provided the hatch is pivotably closed. Although, as soon as the hatch is pivotably opened, i.e. such that a distal transversely extending side of the hatch is pivotably released from the glazing structure, the tilt-preventing member is subjected to a nonzero tensile stress, thereby substantially preventing a downwards vertical tilt of the hatch.

It may however be preferable to assemble the glazing structure by allowing the tilt-preventing member to be pretensioned. Preferably, a fine tuning of the tensile stress in the tilt-preventing member may be achieved by using at least one tension screw. The at least one tension screw allows a high degree of freedom for achieving the optimal tension, retightening, as well as easily disassembling the assembly, or any other maintenance.

A transversely extending pretension, aligned substantially parallel to the pivot axis, in the tilt-preventing member may be achieved by at least one tension screw, slidingly assembling by a wedge-shaped fastening system, by mounting the tilt-preventing member to the proximal ends of the longitudinally extending members while the tilt-preventing member is temporarily stretched, or by mounting the tilt-preventing member to the proximal ends of the longitudinally extending members while the tilt-preventing member is temporarily heat expanded, the pretension allowing, at least when the hatch is pivoted out of a geometrical plane spanned by the longitudinally extending members, clamping the proximal side of the door or window between the proximal ends of the longitudinally extending members.

In the event that the tilt-preventing member is pretensioned between the longitudinally extending members, the previously described at least one tension screw allows a high degree of precision for obtaining a preferred tensile stress extending along the pivot axis. Another possibility may be that the tilt-preventing member may be fastened and pretensioned using a wedge- shaped fastening system. For instance, the tilt-preventing member may be fastened by a sliding engagement with the longitudinally extending members having chamfered interface surfaces allowing the tilt-preventing member to achieve a certain pretension, also when the hatch is closed. Alternatively, such an assembling may leave the tilt-preventing member untensioned. Another possibility may be to fasten the tilt-preventing member while being temporarily heat expanded or temporarily stretched. Whenever a possibly heat expanded tilt-preventing member regains an equilibrium temperature it will slightly shrink, and thereby become pretensioned. Alternatively, such an assembling may leave the tilt-preventing member untensioned. Each of these fastening methods may prevent a downwards vertical tilt of a pivotably opened hatch.

The tilt-preventing member may at least partly be manufactured by aluminum, steel, metal alloys, carbon fiber or para-aramid compounds.

Such durable materials allow the tilt-preventing member to be relatively sleek, yet being sufficiently rigid to be subject to a minimal elastic deformation. Hence, the tilt-preventing member may resist sufficiently large strains, and eventually significantly reduce a tilt of a pivotably openable hatch. This allows the tilt-preventing member being an integral part of the glazing structure, thereby being visually insignificant and thereby provide an aesthetically pleasing impression. The tilt-preventing member may be a laminate of at least two different materials comprising a first portion and a second portion. In that event, the first portion and the second portion are substantially located, seen in the longitudinal extension, on opposite sides of the pivot axis. Provided that the first portion is substantially located on the opposite side of the pivot axis relative to the distal ends of the longitudinally extending members shall in that case have an elastic modulus higher than the second portion to achieve the previously described tilt-preventing effect.

The proximal end of the first longitudinally extending member may comprise a first support block and the proximal end of the second longitudinally extending member may comprise a second support block.

The features of the support blocks may be directly implemented into the longitudinally extending members, thereby turning the support blocks unnecessary. However, by using support blocks that preferably terminate the longitudinally extending members, allows a higher degree of freedom when assembling, as well as being simpler to manufacture, thereby reducing time and cost. As the longitudinally extending members preferably are extruded profiles, this allows the support blocks to be easily assembled with the longitudinally extending members with, for instance screws engaging channels in the longitudinally extending members.

The support blocks, preferably manufactured from aluminum or molded reinforced plastic, further enhance the lateral and vertical stability of a hinged hatch as the contacting surface in a transverse plane between transverse ends of the proximal side of the hatch and the support blocks may be relatively large, reducing the lateral and the vertical tilt of the hatch when pivotably opened. The support blocks may comprise grooves such that the tilt-preventing member may have a complementary profile allowing it to be assembled such that it forms an integral part of the glazing structure providing an aesthetically pleasing impression.

The first and the second support block may be attached to the proximal end of respective longitudinally extending member by glue, welding, or one or more screws.

The longitudinally extended members may preferably be extruded profiles. In that event, there may be provided flanges in an interior of the longitudinally extended members allowing them to receive one or more screws. Preferably, the support blocks are attached by one or more screws to the longitudinally extending members, allowing the one or more screws being visually insignificant to the overall impression of the glazing structure. Alternatively, the support blocks may, for instance be attached by glue, welding, or so-called snap-lock mechanisms.

The tilt-preventing member may be attached to the first and the second support block.

The tilt-preventing member may be directly or indirectly attached to the support blocks. The tilt-preventing member may be directly attached to the first and the second support blocks by one or more screws engaged to respective support block. Alternatively, the tilt-preventing member may be attached by one or more screws to the first support block and attached by other fastening means to the second support block, and vice versa. These types of assembling allow the tilt-preventing member to exert a tensile stress aligned parallel to the pivot axis, at least when the hatch is pivotably opened, thereby preventing the hatch to be tilted when pivotably opened.

The proximal transversely extending side of the hatch may hingely connect to respective support block by a hinge system, wherein a first hinge part comprises a protruding portion and a second hinge part comprises a cavity, configured such that said protruding portion is allowed to be received in said cavity.

The support blocks may comprise the first hinge part, i.e. , each support block comprises a protruding portion respectively, provided that the hatch comprises the second hinge part, i.e. cavities allowed to be received by respective protruding portion when the hatch and the glazing structure are assembled. Conversely, the support blocks may comprise the second hinge part, i.e. each support block comprises a cavity respectively, provided that the hatch comprises the first hinge part, i.e. a protruding portion to be received in the respective cavity when the hatch and the glazing structure are assembled. Alternatively, any combination of the above may be possible, such that one of the support blocks comprises a cavity, whereas the remaining support block comprises a protruding portion, provided the hatch comprises respective complementary hinge part, allowing the hatch to be hingely connected to the glazing structure.

By the above described hinge system, the tilt-preventing member may be allowed to clamp the proximal transversely extending side of the hatch between the support blocks, thereby enhancing stability, and preventing tilting of the hatch when pivotably opened.

Respective support block may comprise a cavity.

Allowing respective support block having a cavity may enhance a flexibility of using different kinds of protruding portions of the hatch.

The proximal transversely extending side of the hatch may comprise oppositely protruding portions that hingely connect to the cavity of respective said support block. The oppositely protruding portions may in a non-limited way have, at least partly, a substantially cylindrical geometry. Again, by using a hinge system as outlined above enhances the flexibility of using different kinds of protruding portions of the hatch. For instance, the protruding portions may constitute a through-going axle extending between the cavities between the support blocks when the hatch is hingely connected to the support blocks. As described above, by using such a hinge system, the tilt-preventing member may be allowed to clamp the proximal transversely extending side of the hatch between the support blocks, thereby enhancing stability of the glazing system in that a tilt of the hatch when pivotably opened is substantially prevented.

The glazing structure may be a balcony glazing structure or a terrace glazing structure.

Hence, the disclosed glazing structure may be suitable for use on a balcony or a terrace, wherein a slidingly and pivotably openable window or door may be desirable.

The hatch may be a window pane frame comprising a window, or a door.

Apart from being substantially visually transparent, a window further enhances stability to the hatch, thereby allowing the window pane frame being made of sleek, preferably metallic extruded profiles. It is appreciated that the window pane frame (or the door) of the glazing structure typically constitute the part being pivotably openable, while remaining parts of the glazing structure, such as the tilt-preventing member and the longitudinal extending members, may be exclusively movable along the longitudinal extension.

The window pane frame may be a balcony window pane frame, and the door may be a balcony door.

An example use case of the present disclosure regards glazing structures in connection with balcony glazings of a building, or other similar extensions of a building. This example use case will be further described below. Further, it should be appreciated that in the event of the window pane frame being a balcony door, a bottom portion of the balcony door may be opaque, such that, e.g., being constituted by a wooden panel, or the like. The skilled person appreciates the existence of numerous variations within the scope of the claims. The glazing structure may be movable along stationary longitudinally extending guiding rails.

The glazing structure may roll or slide along the guiding rails. Preferably the glazing structure may be supported by wheels located in an interior of the longitudinally extending members, allowing a smooth and silent horizontal movement of the glazing structure.

The longitudinally extending members may, in installed position, be substantially horizontally aligned, and the transversely extending member may be substantially vertically aligned.

These orientations are typically applicable when the glazing structure is mounted on a facade on which windows and doors are typically vertically mounted, etc. It is however to be understood that other orientations may be possible within the scope of the claims.

Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. All references to "a/an/the [element, device, component, means, step, etc.]" are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of said element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of preferred embodiments, with reference to the appended drawings, where the same reference numerals will be used for similar elements, wherein:

Fig. 1 discloses a balcony glazing structure having a closed pivotably openable window pane.

Fig. 2 discloses a balcony glazing structure having a partly opened pivotably openable window pane.

Figs 3A-C discloses selected portions of the balcony glazing structure when partly disassembled.

Fig. 4 discloses the hinge system of a balcony glazing structure. .

Fig. 5 discloses different views of one of the first support block, the tilt preventing member and the first longitudinally extending member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which currently preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided for thoroughness and completeness, and to fully convey the scope of the invention to the skilled person.

As already pointed out above, the glazing structure will hereinafter be exemplified being a balcony glazing structure. A hatch, forming part of the glazing structure, may thereby be a window pane frame comprising a window, or a door. Hence, the window pane frame may be a balcony window pane frame, and in the event the hatch being a door, such a door may be a balcony door. The skilled person appreciates that the glazing structure may equally well be used in other applications. For instance, the hatch of the glazing structure may be a door comprising a window pane. Such a door may by way of example be a balcony door, or a door of a glazed terrace, etc. It is further appreciated that a door leaf of such a door may be partly constituted by a wooden panel, or the like.

Turning to Fig. 1 one embodiment of a slidingly and pivotably openable balcony glazing structure 100 is disclosed where a hingely connecting window pane 30 is closed. The balcony glazing structure 100 may, as a non-limiting example, be configured to be mounted on a facade in series with other similar units. The balcony glazing structure 100 is be movable along non-disclosed substantially longitudinally extending guiding rails.

In the disclosed embodiment, the balcony glazing structure 100 comprises a first longitudinally extending member 10 and a second longitudinally extending member 20. The longitudinally extending members 10;20 may preferably be formed by extruded profiles. The longitudinally extending members may preferably be manufactured from aluminum, steel, or any other durable material.

The balcony glazing structure 100 preferably comprises a first support block 40 and a second support block 50. The first support block 40 preferably terminates a proximal end 12 of the first longitudinally extending member 10. The second support block 50 preferably terminates a proximal end 22 of the second longitudinally extending member 20. It is to be understood that the first and second longitudinally extending member 10;20 may be arranged such that they at least partly enclose respective proximal end of the first/second support block 40;50. In such a situation, the first and second support block 40;50 may not terminate respective proximal end of the first/second longitudinally extending member 10;20. It is to be understood that within the scope of the invention only one of the first and the second longitudinally extending members 10;20 may have a connected support block. The support blocks 40;50 may preferably be manufactured from aluminum, molded reinforced plastic, steel or any other durable material.

The balcony glazing structure 100 may preferably comprise a balcony window 30 that hingely connects its proximal transversely extending side 32 to the first and the second support block 10;20. The proximal transversely extending side 32 may preferably be a proximal window pane frame member 32. The distal transversely extending side 34 may preferably be a distal window pane frame member 34. The balcony window 30 may be replaceable with any other type of hatch with unaltered function of the balcony glazing structure within the scope of the invention.

Fig. 1 further discloses a tilt-preventing member 60 that may preferably be attached between the first and the second support block 40;50. The tilt preventing member 60 may preferably be formed by an extruded profile.

The longitudinally extending members 10;20 comprise distal ends 14;24 that preferably longitudinally coincide with the distal pane frame member 34 of the balcony window 30 whenever the balcony window 30 is closed.

The tilt-preventing may preferably at least partly be located on a longitudinally opposing side of a pivot axis P relative to the distal ends 14;24 of the longitudinally extending members 10;20.

The tilt-preventing member may preferably be manufactured from aluminum, steel, metal alloys, carbon fiber or para-aramid compounds or any other durable material.

Turning to Fig. 2 there is disclosed one embodiment of a balcony glazing structure 100 where a hingely connecting balcony window 30 is partly opened.

The description of Fig. 1 is substantially also applicable in a description of Fig. 2. Flere a pivotably openable balcony window 30 is disclosed being pivotably opened by an angle b. The angle b is defined by an angle between a geometrical plane spanned by the longitudinally extending members 10;20 and the plane of the balcony window 30 when viewed in the direction of the pivot axis P. The range of b is preferably between 0 and 120 degrees, and more preferably between 0 and 90 degrees. It is to be understood that it is easily accomplished to allow for another range of b, by, for instance mounting and/or manufacturing the tilt-preventing member 60 differently. The balcony glazing structure 100 may be movable along the non-disclosed longitudinally extending guiding rails and simultaneously the balcony window 30 may be pivotably opened by an angle b. The balcony window 30 is defined being pivotably opened whenever the distal pane frame member 34 is pivotably released from the distal ends 14;24 of the longitudinally extending members 10;20. Conversely, the balcony window 30 is defined being closed when the distal pane frame member 34 substantially coincides with the location of the distal ends 14;24 of the longitudinally extending members 10;20 in a geometrical plane transverse to the pivot axis P.

Turning to Figs 3A-C and 4 there is disclosed selected portions of the balcony glazing structure 100. More specifically, there is disclosed, in a non limiting way, a preferred way of assembling the longitudinally extending members 10;20 with the support blocks 40;50, as well as a preferred way of assembling of the support blocks 40;50 with the tilt-preventing member 60. The details of the support blocks are best viewed in Fig. 4. The balcony window 30 is omitted in these figures.

The first longitudinally extending member 10 may preferably be attached to the first support block 40 by at least one screw 42 extending through a first through-going hole 44. The at least one screw 42 preferably also extends through a through-going hole 37 of the protruding portion 36 of the proximal side 32 of the balcony window 30. The protruding portion 36 may, in a non-limiting way, preferably be an axle portion 36 having a substantially cylindrical geometry. Other geometries of the axle portion 36 are possible. For instance, in the event that the axle portion 36 has another geometry, a sleeve or a bushing may enclose the axle portion 36 turning its outer geometry complementary to an inner geometry of a receiving cavity.

The at least one screw 42 preferably engages to at least one channel 16 of the first longitudinally extending member 10. It is to be understood that the first support block 40 may be attached to the first longitudinally extending member 10 without extending through the axle portion 36. The first support block may also be attached to the first longitudinally extending member by a plurality of screws. An interface side 46 of the first support block may, in a non-limiting way, preferably comprise grooves 48 extending along the extension of a pivot axis P. The first longitudinally extending member 10 may, in a non-limiting way, preferably comprise cut-outs 18 allowing the first longitudinally extending member 10 to at least partly receive the interface side 46 of the first support block 40. The first support block 40 may alternatively be attached to the first longitudinally extending member by, for instance welding, or any other fastening means. Other types of interface sides are also possible within the scope of the invention, e.g. using a flat interface side. The first support block 40 may, in a non-limiting way, preferably comprise a first spacer 49 located between the first support block 40 and the proximal transversely extending side 32 of the balcony window 30.

According to a preferable embodiment as of Fig. 3, the tilt-preventing member may be attached to the first support block 40 by at least one tension screw 41. The at least one tension screw 41 extends through a substantially transversely extending E _z through-going hole 43 of the first support block 40 and engages a channel 62 of the tilt-preventing member 60. This is best viewed in a top view of the tilt-preventing member, Fig. 3C. The channel 62 may be threaded. The at least one tension screw 41 may preferably extend along the pivot axis P. It is to be understood that other alignments of the at least one tension screw would be possible. The at least one tension screw may be tightened such that the tilt-preventing member 60 exerts a tensile stress aligned along the pivot axis P, when the balcony glazing structure 100 is assembled as described in Fig. 1 , i.e. when the balcony window 30 is closed. Alternatively, the at least one tension screw 41 may be tightened such that the tilt-preventing member 60 is untensioned along the pivot axis P, when the balcony glazing structure 100 is assembled as described in Fig. 1, i.e. when the balcony window 30 is closed.

The tilt-preventing member 60 may preferably comprise a first protrusion 64 which, seen along the extension of the pivot axis P, may extend substantially transversely E _y to the longitudinal extension E _x. The elongated protrusion 64 may act as a protective lid, allowing to at least partly cover a proximal pane frame member 32 of the balcony window 30. The elongated protrusion 64 may further, at least partly, cover a proximal side 406;506 of the first and the second support block 40;50. The tilt-preventing member 60 may preferably comprise a second protrusion 66 configured to be at least partly received by a complementary groove 47;57 in the first and the second support block 40;50. This allows the tilt-preventing member 60 being an integral part of the balcony glazing structure 100. This is best viewed in Fig. 5A.

The tilt-preventing member 60 may be formed by an extruded profile.

The second longitudinally extending member may preferably be attached to the second support block 50 by at least one screw 52 extending through holes 54 extending substantially in the longitudinal extension E _x. The remaining features of the second support block 50 are preferably applicable to the previously described first support block 40. It is to be understood that the first and the second support block 40;50 may be substantially mirror symmetric along the pivot axis P within the scope of the invention. The tilt preventing member 60 may preferably be attached to the second support block 50 similarly as described previously. That is, at least one tension screw 51 extends along a through-going hole 53 of the second support block 50 and engages the channel 62 of the tilt-preventing member. The channel 62 may be threaded. The at least one tension screw 41 may preferably extend substantially parallel to the pivot axis P. The tilt-preventing member may be attached to one of the support blocks 40;50 by, e.g. welding, whereas the tilt preventing member may be attached to the remaining support block by a tension screw. Any combination of a fastening of the tilt-preventing between the longitudinally extending members 10;20 may be possible within the scope of the invention. The second support block 50 may, in a non-limiting way, preferably comprise a second spacer 59 located between the second support block 50 and the proximal transversely extending side 32 of the balcony window 30.

Now turning to Fig. 4, the first and second support block 40;50 are disclosed as well as a first and a second axle portion of the balcony window 30.

The first and the second axle portion 36;38 may have a substantially cylindrical geometry. Other geometries may be possible within the scope of the invention. The first and the second support block 40;50 preferably comprise a first and a second cavity 45;55 respectively. When the balcony glazing structure 100 is assembled, the cavities 45;55 are substantially aligned along the pivot axis P. The cavities 45;55 may preferably, but not necessarily, have a substantially cylindrical geometry. For other geometries of the axle portions 36;38, the cavities 45;55 preferably should have a geometry allowing the cavities 45;55 to at least partly receive the axle portions 36;38.

To facilitate understanding, a first and a second axle portion 36;38 of the proximal transversely extending side of the balcony window 30 are transversely separated in the transverse extension E _z from the support blocks 40;50 in Fig. 4. A cross section of the axle portions 46;56, seen in a geometrical plane perpendicular to the pivot axis P, has a substantially circular geometry. The axle portions 36;38 may preferably be configured to at least partly be received by the cavities 45; 55 of the support blocks 40; 50. The axle portions 36;38 preferably comprise through-going holes 37;39. The through-going holes are preferably aligned with the through-going holes 44;54 of the support blocks when assembled. Thereby the screws 42;52 may extend through the alignment and engage the longitudinally extending members 10;20. The axle portions 36;38 may thereby preferably be rigidly connected to the balcony frame structure 100. This implies that the proximal pane frame member 32 of the balcony window 30 preferably comprises complementary cavities (not shown). These complementary cavities (not shown) may preferably be configured to at least partly receive opposite sides 33;35 of the axle portions 36;38, such that the balcony window 30 may be pivotable relative to the axle portions 36;38.

The first axle portion may additionally preferably attach to the first support block 40 by a transversely aligned E _z axle screw 402 engaging a threaded hole 302 in an utmost end of the first axle portion 36. A recessed spacer 404 located between the first axle portion 36 and the transversely aligned axle screw 402 may further prevent a relative movement of the first axle portion 36 and the first support block 40 along the pivot axis P. It is to be understood that, within the scope of the invention, the balcony glazing structure 100 may be configured to omit a rigid connection between the axle portions 36;38 and the balcony window 30. In that event, the axle portions 36;38 may rotate relative to the balcony window 30.

Turning to Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B there is disclosed different views of the assembled balcony glazing structure 100 in vicinity of the first support block. Fig. 5A discloses a top view of the balcony glazing structure 100 showing, in a non-limiting way, on a relative longitudinal distance between the attachment of the tilt-preventing member 60 and the first axle portion 36 received by the cavity 45 of the first support block 40. The center of the transversely aligned axle screw 402 and the first axle portion 36 substantially coincides with the pivot axis P. Fig. 5A schematically discloses two possible distances d;D seen in the longitudinal extension E _x which may be thought of as lever arms providing counterweights to a pivotably opened balcony window 30. By way of example, if omitting the tilt-preventing member 60, the lever arm would have the length d substantially corresponding to the radius of the first axle portion 36. Conversely, by using the tilt-preventing member 60, the length lever arm may be substantially increased in the longitudinal extension, thereby substantially preventing tilting of a pivotably opened balcony window 30. That is, increasing the lever arm by a factor of X would thereby substantially reduce a transverse E _z downwards displacement of the distal pane frame member 34 by substantially a factor of X.

Fig. 5B discloses the feature of the tilt-preventing member 60 acting as a protective lid, seen in the longitudinal extension E _x.

The person skilled in the art realizes that the present invention by no means is limited to the preferred embodiments described above. On the contrary, many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

Additionally, variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by the skilled person in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. For instance, the tilt-preventing member may be configured to be a simple rectangular flat iron attached by longitudinally extending screws engaging the proximal ends of the longitudinally extending members 10;20, and still retain a tilt-preventing function.