Fenestration Frame with Bonded Support Brackets and Method of Making Same

• US 20110258947A1
• Filed: 04/20/2011
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andersen Corporation
• Original Assignee: Andersen Corporation
• Inventors: PETERSON, Steven G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,621,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/213
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 1/60 by mechanical means, e.g. anchoring means

Abstract

A fenestration unit such as a window or door has a frame with an outer peripheral surface. An array of support brackets are secured to the outer peripheral surface and extend inwardly toward the interior of a building in which the fenestration unit is to be installed. The support brackets are formed with a bendable metal and are secured to the outer surface of the frame without forming holes in the frame through which water may leak. The support brackets may be secured by heat, sonic, or friction welding, or with solvents or adhesives, structural tapes, or other appropriate mechanisms. In one embodiment for use with frames having a vinyl surface, the support brackets may be vinyl coated steel to enable attachment of the support brackets with welding or vinyl adhesive techniques. A method of fabricating fenestration frames with support brackets includes obtaining support brackets and securing them to the fenestration frame without forming holes in the fenestration frame.

Claims

1. A fenestration unit having an interior side and an exterior side and comprising a frame and at least one support bracket bonded to the frame and extending therefrom in an interior direction or an exterior direction for securing the fenestration unit in a roughed-in opening, the support bracket being bonded to the frame without the presence of holes, other penetrations, or fasteners that extend into the frame.

2. The fenestration unit of claim 1 and wherein the fenestration unit is a window.

3. The fenestration unit of claim 1 and wherein the fenestration unit is a door.

4. The fenestration unit of claim 1 and wherein the frame comprises vinyl.

5. The fenestration unit of claim 1 and wherein the frame comprises a vinyl composite.

6. The fenestration unit of claim 1 and wherein the frame comprises a vinyl clad frame.

7. The fenestration unit of claim 1 and wherein the surface of the frame at least at the location where the support bracket is bonded is selected from the group consisting of wood, paint, acrylic capped, metal, and a wood composite.

8. The fenestration unit of claim 1 and wherein the support bracket comprises a metal core with a vinyl coating bonded thereto.

9. The fenestration unit of claim 8 and wherein the vinyl coating is bonded to less than all surfaces of the metal core.

10. The fenestration unit of claim 1 and wherein the frame has an outer surface and the support bracket is bonded to the outer surface and extends toward the interior of a building when the fenestration unit is positioned in a roughed-in opening of the building.

11. The fenestration unit of claim 10 and wherein the support bracket is secured to the outer surface of the frame by heat welding, sonic welding, friction welding, solvents, structural tapes, or adhesives.

12. A method of attaching a support bracket to a fenestration frame having a vinyl or vinyl composite outer surface, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining a support bracket comprising a metal core and a vinyl coating bonded to at least a portion of the metal core;

(b) positioning the support bracket at a desired location on the fenestration frame with the vinyl coating of the bracket engaging the frame; and

(c) affixing the vinyl coating of the support bracket to the outer surface of the fenestration frame to secure the support bracket to the fenestration frame without forming holes in or extending fasteners into the fenestration frame.

13. The method of claim 12 and wherein step (c) comprises heat welding.

14. The method of claim 12 and wherein step (c) comprises sonic welding.

15. The method of claim 12 and wherein step (c) comprises friction welding.

16. The method of claim 12 and wherein step (c) comprises applying a solvent between the support bracket and the fenestration frame.

17. The method of claim 12 and wherein step (c) comprises applying an adhesive between the support bracket and the frame.

18. A fenestration unit having a frame with an outer surface and a plurality of support brackets secured to the outer surface without holes or fasteners that extend into the frame, the support brackets extending in a direction generally transverse to a plane of the fenestration unit to be bent against and secured to the framing of a roughed-in opening in which the fenestration unit is to be positioned to support and secure the fenestration unit within the roughed-in opening.

19. The fenestration unit of claim 18 and wherein the support brackets are secured to the outer surface of the frame by an attachment mechanism selected from the group consisting of heat welding, sonic welding, solvents, adhesives, acrylic adhesives, urethane adhesives, adhesive tapes, and structural tapes.

20. The fenestration unit of claim 18 and wherein the frame comprises a vinyl outer surface.

21. The fenestration unit of claim 20 and wherein the support brackets comprise a vinyl outer surface.

22. The fenestration unit of claim 21 and wherein the support brackets further comprise a metal core.

23. The fenestration unit of claim 22 and wherein the vinyl outer surfaces of the support brackets are bonded to the vinyl outer surface of the frame.

24. The fenestration unit of claim 23 and wherein the support brackets are bonded by welding, solvents, adhesives, tapes, or a combination thereof.

25. The fenestration unit of claim 18 and wherein the fenestration unit has an interior side and an exterior side and wherein the support brackets extend generally in an interior direction with respect to a plane of the fenestration unit to be attached to framing studs on the interior of a building.