Corner joint for a window or door frame

• US 8,490,347 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2011
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milgard Manufacturing Incorporated (MI Windows & Doors LLC)
• Original Assignee: Milgard Manufacturing Incorporated (MI Windows & Doors LLC)
• Inventors: Valler, Jess J., Kuneman, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): PAINTER, BRANON C
• Application Number:
  US13/101,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20120279166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 522/041, 522/045, 526/561, 526/565, 526/564
• US Class Current: 52/204.1
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/16 Hollow frames of special construction, e.g. made of folded sheet metal or of two or more section parts connected together
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/22 Hollow frames E06B3/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/962 Mitre joints
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/9646 using two similar connecting pieces each connected with one or the frame members and drawn together at the joint

Abstract

A corner joint for a window or door frame includes first and second frame members each having a mitered end, at least one cavity in each mitered end and at least one side wall opening into each cavity. A screw boss is disposed in the cavity of the first frame member, and a detent lug on a flexible resilient portion of the screw boss is received in the side wall opening of the first frame member. A corner key has a first leg received in the cavity of the first frame member over the screw boss to hold the screw boss in place, and a second leg received in the cavity of the second frame member. A screw extends through the side wall opening in the second frame member and through the corner key, and is threaded into the screw boss to clamp the mitered ends of the frame members together. A sealing gasket may be captured between the mitered ends of the frame members.

Claims

1. A corner joint for a window or door frame, which includes:

a first frame member having a mitered end, at least one cavity in said mitered end and at least one side wall opening into said cavity,

a second frame member having a mitered end, at least one cavity in said mitered end and at least one side wall opening into said cavity,

a screw boss in said cavity of said first frame member, a detent lug on a flexible resilient portion of said screw boss and received in said side wall opening of said first frame member,

a corner key having a first leg received in said cavity of said first frame member over said screw boss and holding said screw boss in said first frame member, and a second leg received in said cavity of said second frame member, and

a screw extending through said side wall opening in said second frame member and through said corner key, and threaded into said screw boss to clamp said mitered ends of said frame members together.

2. The corner joint set forth in claim 1 including a sealing gasket captured between said mitered ends.

3. The corner joint set forth in claim 2 wherein said screw boss has at last one gasket locator to engage said gasket and hold said gasket in position during assembly of said corner joint.

4. The corner joint set forth in claim 1 wherein said detent lug has an angled face to engage said mitered end of said first frame member and to cam said flexible resilient portion inwardly during insertion of said screw boss into said first frame member, registry of said detent lug with said side wall opening in said first frame member allowing said flexible resilient portion of said screw boss to snap said detent lug outwardly into said side wall opening.

5. The corner joint set forth in claim 4 wherein said detent lug is on an arm flexibly and resiliently cantilevered from said screw boss.

6. The corner joint set forth in claim 5 wherein said screw extends through said screw boss to overlie said arm within said cavity in said first frame member and prevent inward flexure of said arm.

7. The corner joint set forth in claim 4 wherein said detent lug is on a flexible resilient side wall of said screw boss.

8. The corner joint set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second frame members are of plastic, wood, aluminum, fiberglass or vinyl construction.

9. The corner joint set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second frame members are of extruded plastic, aluminum, fiberglass or vinyl construction.

10. A corner joint for a window or door frame, which includes:

first and second frame members each having a mitered end, at least one cavity in said mitered end and at least one side wall opening into said cavity,

a screw boss in said cavity of said first frame member, and a detent lug on a flexible resilient portion of said screw boss and received in said side wall opening of said first frame member,

an L-shaped corner key having a first leg received in said cavity of said first frame member over said screw boss and holding said screw boss in said first frame member, and a second leg received in said cavity of said second frame member,

a sealing gasket, and

a screw extending through said side wall opening in said second frame member and through said corner key, and threaded into said screw boss to clamp said mitered ends of said frame members together with said sealing gasket captured therebetween,

said detent lug having an angled side face to engage said mitered end of said first frame member and cam said flexible resilient portion inwardly during insertion of said screw boss into said first frame member, registry of said detent lug with said side wall opening in said first frame member allowing said flexible resilient portion of said screw boss to snap said detent lug outwardly into said side wall opening.

11. The corner joint set forth in claim 10 wherein said screw boss has a gasket locator to engage said gasket and hold said gasket in position during assembly of said corner joint.

12. The corner joint set forth in claim 10 wherein said detent lug is on an arm flexibly and resiliently cantilevered from said screw boss.

13. The corner joint set forth in claim 12 wherein said screw extends through said screw boss to overlie said arm within said cavity of said first frame member and prevent inward flexure of said arm and disengagement of said detent lug from said side wall opening.

14. The corner joint set forth in claim 10 wherein said detent lug is on a flexible resilient side wall of said screw boss.

15. The corner joint set forth in claim 10 wherein said first and second frame members are of plastic, wood, aluminum, fiberglass or vinyl construction.

16. The corner joint set forth in claim 10 wherein said first and second frame members are of extruded plastic, aluminum, fiberglass or vinyl construction.