Frameless window module

• US 8,490,345 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2002
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College (Harvard Corporation)
• Original Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College (Harvard Corporation)
• Inventors: Fields, Darell Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener, Joshua J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chi Q
• Application Number:
  US10/255,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20030051421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,966 Days
• Field of Search: 522/02, 522/03, 522/041, 522/047.1, 521/713, 522/08, 522/045.93, 49/67, 49/68, 49/63, 49/62, 49/61, 493/71
• US Class Current: 52/202
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 43/005 Timer devices controlling electrically operated locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/00 Operating or controlling locks or other fastening devices by electric or magnetic means electric permutation locks E05B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/462 for two or more drawers
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 17/002 for wings which lie one behind the other when closed
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2017/008 for swinging wings
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2003/261 Frames made of wood
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/2605 with frames permanently mounted behind or within each other, each provided with a pane or screen

Abstract

A frameless window module allows operable windows to be placed in any location of a wood stud frame wall without compromising the load bearing capability of the studs thereof. By using lift-off pivot hinges, two (2) panes of glass are respectively pivotally mounted to the exterior and interior surfaces of the wood stud frame wall. Pneumatic gaskets enable to controllably regulate the air interspace captured thereby to provide a variable-insulation aperture. Interconnection hinges cause the two (2) glass panes of a module to move in concert and/or serve to securely lock them in their closed position.

Claims

1. A window module providing, in dependence on the number of modules arrayed, operable windows of any length in a wood stud frame wall having opposing interior and exterior faces and structural members including a top, longitudinally-extending cap piece, a longitudinally-extending sole plate and a continuous run of laterally-spaced, upstanding studs interconnecting the cap piece and sole plate, said window module eliminating both the need to cut any stud to provide a window box opening and the use of a window box installed in a window box opening, comprising:

first and second glazing member subassemblies;

first means coupled to said first glazing member subassembly for mounting said first glazing member subassembly exteriorly outwardly to at least one of said structural members of said wood stud frame wall without penetrating said wood stud frame wall at one of said opposing interior and exterior faces of said wood stud frame wall for pivoting motion between open and closed positions away from and towards said one of said opposing faces of said wood stud frame wall; and

second means coupled to said second glazing member subassembly for mounting said second glazing member subassembly exteriorly outwardly to at least one of said structural members of said wood stud frame wall without penetrating said wood stud frame wall at the other of said opposing interior and exterior faces of said wood stud frame wall for pivoting motion between open and closed positions away from and towards said other one of said opposing faces of said wood stud frame wall, said first and second means thereby eliminating both the need to cut any said upstanding stud of said wood stud frame wall to provide a window box opening thereinthrough, and the use of a window box installed in the window box opening.

2. The window module of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second means respectively coupled to said first and second glazing member subassemblies includes a pivot hinge subassembly.

3. The window module of claim 2, wherein said pivot hinge subassembly is adapted for lift-off action allowing each said first and second glazing member subassembly to be readily installed to and removed from said opposing interior and exterior faces of said wood stud frame wall.

4. The window module of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second glazing member subassemblies has lateral and longitudinal edges;

and further includes a seal and a seal-seat adapted to seal the lateral edges of each of said glazing member subassemblies, and a seal and a seal-seat adapted to seal the longitudinal edges of each of said glazing member subassemblies, when the glazing member subassemblies are in their closed positions.

5. The window module of claim 4, wherein each of said seals adapted to seal the longitudinal edges of each said glazing member subassembly when the subassemblies are in their closed positions is a pneumatic seal;

and further including a gas manifold and controller operatively coupled to each said pneumatic seal for varying the degree of seal made by each said pneumatic seal to controllably provide one or more variable-insulation apertures when the glazing member subassemblies of one or more modules are in their closed positions.

6. The window module of claim 1, further including an interconnection hinge subassembly couplable to said first and second glazing member subassemblies responsive to the pivoting motion of one glazing member subassembly towards and away from the corresponding one of the interior and exterior faces of the wood stud frame wall to cause pivoting motion of the other glazing member subassembly towards and away from the other one of the opposing interior and exterior faces of the wood stud frame wall;

whereby, the glazing member subassemblies of said window module move together in concert in a butterfly fashion between their open and closed positions.

7. The window module of claim 6, wherein said interconnection hinge subassembly couplable to said first and second glazing member subassemblies is adapted to vary the phase of glazing member subassembly closure such that one of the glazing member subassemblies is moved to its closed position before the other glazing member subassembly is moved to its closed position.

8. The window module of claim 6, wherein said interconnection hinge subassembly couplable to said first and second glazing member subassemblies is adapted to apply compressive force to at least one of said glazing member subassemblies when they are moved to their closed positions so as to clamp the glazing member subassemblies of said window module shut.

9. The window module of claim 1, wherein each said glazing member subassembly includes a first glass pane adhesively laminated in laterally offset relation to a second glass pane defining flanges to both sides thereof, and edge plates adhesively mounted to each of the flanges.

10. The window module of claim 1, wherein each said glazing member subassembly includes a single glass pane mounted in a generally rectangular casement, a generally rectangular sash adapted for exterior mounting outwardly to said at least one structural member at respective ones of said opposing interior and exterior faces, and at least one pivot subassembly pivotally connecting said casement and said sash.

11. A frameless integument module mountable to a wood stud frame wall without penetrating the wood stud frame wall having opposing interior and exterior faces and a continuous run of studs that does not compromise the studs'"'"' load bearing capability, comprising:

first and second integument members, said integument members each having lateral and longitudinal edges;

first and second means for exteriorly mounting said first and second members respectively outwardly at said opposing faces of the wood stud frame wall without penetrating the wood stud frame wall;

said first and second means respectively including first and second pivot hinge subassemblies respectively coupled to one of said lateral and longitudinal edges of each of said first and second integument members, each said first and second pivot hinge subassembly respectively coupled to said one of said lateral and longitudinal edges of each said first and second integument members is adapted to pivotally mount each said first and second integument members for motion between open and closed positions away from and towards respective ones of said interior and exterior faces of said wood stud frame wall; and

at least one third interconnection hinge couplable to both said first and second integument members adapted to cause said first and second integument members to pivotally move together away from and towards respective ones of said exterior and interior faces of said wood stud frame wall in a butterfly fashion.

12. The frameless integument module of claim 11, wherein said integument members are transparent.

13. The frameless integument module of claim 11, wherein said one of said lateral and longitudinal edges of each said integument member is a lateral edge of each said integument member.

14. The frameless integument module of claim 11, wherein each said first and second pivot hinge subassembly is adapted for lift-off action allowing each said integument member subassembly to be readily installed and removed.