GB2534933A

GB2534933A - Glazing bead

Info

Publication number: GB2534933A
Application number: GB1502029.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Cossey Dean
Original assignee: Duraflex Ltd
Current assignee: Duraflex Ltd
Priority date: 2015-02-06
Filing date: 2015-02-06
Publication date: 2016-08-10
Also published as: GB201502029D0

Abstract

A glazing bead 10 comprising an extruded elongate body (12, Fig. 2A) and a seal 14 for fixing a glazed unit 102 in a frame. The body has a seal engaging portion 16, a frame engaging portion 18, an inner wall 20 and an outer wall 22. The frame engaging portion includes a projection forming a foot (34, Fig. 2) adjacent the outer wall, and a hook (26, Fig. 2) adjacent the inner wall, the hook extending towards the foot. The seal may have an outer surface with a recessed central area (40, Fig/. 2B) with at least one side wall (42, Fig. 2B) which may be resilient. Also claimed is a glazing assembly 100 comprising at least one glazing bead and a frame member 104, with a receiving area 108 with a rebate for a further seal 112 and a bead engaging area 110 for engaging the glazing bead.

Description

GLAZING BEAD

The present invention relates to a glazing bead and particularly to a plastics glazing bead for retaining glass panels within a plastics frame.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Glazing beads are widely known to hold glazed units within door and window frames. Glazing beads are both functional and aesthetic, retaining a glazed unit and providing a smooth visual transition between the glazed unit and frame.

A modern glazing bead may be 'clip in' or 'knock in'. A 'clip in' bead typically includes a front foot which locates under a ledge in the frame, and a back edge that clips into an opposing pocket. A 'knock in' bead typically latches into a pocket in the frame when knocked in from a front face, with outward pressure from the glazed unit then holding it in place.

The process of installing new or replacement windows can be time-consuming, as installing them without causing damage to the glazed unit requires care. 'Knock in' beads are preferred for speed of installation, but they currently require glass locks to hold the glass in place, should the beads be removed by would-be intruders.

It is an object of the present invention to reduce or substantially obviate the aforementioned problems.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a glazing bead comprising an extruded elongate body and seal for fixing a glazed unit in a frame, the body having a seal engaging portion, a frame engaging portion, an inner wall and an outer wall, the frame engaging portion including a projection forming a foot adjacent the outer wall, and a hook adjacent the inner wall, the hook extending towards the foot.

The hook faces towards the foot so that external pressure applied to the glazed unit from the other side of the unit, by a would-be intruder, for example, locks the hook more tightly in place rather than disengaging it. This also means that there is no need to use glass locks with the glazed unit to adhere to industry security standards. It also reduces the number of components needed when installing a glazing assembly with glazing beads, hence reducing the time typically required for installation. Furthermore, the nature of the single hook (or leg) design makes it much simpler to install at speed, rather than requiring an installer to carefully align a front foot or leg under a lip before clipping or knocking the bead in.

The hook may have a tapered end.

The tapered end allows the glazing bead to be easily knocked in, because the back of the hook is guided by a sloping area of the frame into an undercut. In other words, the hook latches onto the frame when the bead is knocked into place by sliding along an angled face of the frame and over its lip, engaging the frame about the undercut portion.

The frame engaging portion may include a connecting wall extending between the outer wall and the inner wall, acting as a bridge between the foot and the hook.

The connecting wall confers structural rigidity to the glazing bead, i.e. it prevents the foot from slipping against the frame (towards or away from the hook).

The hook may extend downwards from the inner wall along a line substantially parallel to the seal engaging portion before extending towards the foot.

The seal may have an outer surface to seal against the glazed unit, and the outer surface may have a recessed central area and at least one side wall disposed adjacent to and proud of the central area. Preferably, the or each side wall is resilient.

When the side wall or walls are compressed against a glazed unit, they become slightly outwardly displaced and allow the central area to also engage against the glazed unit, supporting the glazed unit across the entirety of the seal. The side wall(s) should be resilient to ensure that re-seating the glazing bead during installation still provides an effective seal, if re-alignment is required.

The outer wall may include a substantially flat area extending perpendicularly away from the seal engaging portion. The outer wall may include a curved portion, which may extend away from the substantially flat area.

This allows the top of the seal to lie substantially flush with the top of the glazing bead (i.e. the substantially flat area), minimising its visibility. The curved outer wall transfers load to the foot effectively, holding the glazed unit in position whilst also being aesthetically pleasing. It also provides a surface for the bead to be 'knocked' into the frame.

The inner wall may be curved and may extend from the seal engaging portion to the hook.

Having a curved inner wall provides good structural integrity when the glazing bead experiences compressive forces, whilst being 'knocked in'. By extending across the full inner section of the bead, from the seal engaging portion to the hook, the inner wall is a single structural element which is load-bearing across its length. In other words, there are no weak points present by design which might individually cause the bead to buckle under compression.

The inner wall may have a radius of curvature equal to or greater than that of the outer 25 wall.

This allows the inner wall to be more resilient and springy than the outer wall, facilitating the insertion and removal of the glazing bead during installation. It also ensures that the inner wall is compact relative to the outer wall, fitting into the small gap available between a panel and frame. Additionally, the smaller radius of curvature associated with the outer wall gives a relatively seamless transition between the frame and panel, without introducing a large change in surface angle.

The seal engaging portion may be substantially flat, and may have at least one step along its edge, adjacent the outer wall. Preferably, the seal is co-extruded with the elongate body, with the seal being integrally formed during extrusion with the substantially flat surface and step of the seal engaging portion. The seal may be flexible.

The seal may be formed of rubber.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a glazing assembly comprising a frame member, and at least one glazing bead according to the first aspect of the invention, the frame member having a receiving area to receive an edge of a glazed unit, and a bead engaging area, where the receiving area includes an L-shaped rebate to one side thereof and a further seal mounted to the rebate for engaging and retaining one face of the glazing unit, the at least one glazing bead lies to the other side of the glazed unit and spans between the glazed unit and the bead engaging area to engage and retain the other face of the glazed unit, and the bead engaging area includes a foot bearing area and an undercut, the undercut facing internally towards the rebate to engage the or each hook. the or each hook bearing against the undercut when the or each glazing bead is installed.

The connecting wall of the or each glazing bead may lie substantially clear of the bead engaging area.

This provides some flexibility in the glazing bead, allowing the foot and hook to bend away from each other under pressure, as the connecting wall is not butted against the bead engaging area, facilitating quick installation of the glazing bead.

An inclined wall may connect the undercut to the foot bearing area. Preferably, the inclined wall declines from the foot bearing area to the undercut via one or more slopes or steps, or a combination of these.

When an external force is applied to the bead, the hook slides along the surface of the inclined wall, slipping over the edge of the wall and hooking into the undercut beneath it, providing a quick way to robustly secure the bead to the frame without the need for glass locks. Alternatively, a stepped wall may be preferred, acting as a ratchet mechanism whereby the hook catches on successive steps, if multiple instances of applied force are required to fully install the bead. Each step may have its own undercut for added security.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a glazing bead in position against a glazed unit in a frame; Figure 2A shows a cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of the glazing bead of Figure 1 in isolation from the frame; Figure 2B shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the glazing bead of Figure 1 and immediately adjacent portions of the frame; Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of a glazing assembly, with the glazing bead of Figure 1 in the process of being positioned; and Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the glazing assembly of Figure 3 with the horizontal glazing bead of Figure 3 meeting a vertical glazing bead at the corner of the glazed unit.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 2B, an exemplary embodiment of the glazing bead is indicated generally at 10. The glazing bead 10 is positioned in conjunction with an exemplary embodiment of a glazing assembly, indicated generally at 100. The glazing bead 10 has an extruded elongate body indicated generally at 12, and a co-extruded seal 14, and could be described more generally as a 'single leg knock in' bead. The glazing bead 10 has a seal engaging portion 16 that engages the seal 14, and a frame engaging portion 18 that engages a portion of the glazing assembly 100. The seal and frame engaging portions 16, 18 are connected by a curved inner wall 20 and an outer wall 22. The inner and outer walls 20, 22 are bridged near their far ends by a connecting wall 24, which confers structural support to the bead 10. The four sides of the bead 10 define an internal space 23 that is hollow.

The inner wall 20 extends away the seal engaging portion 16 and ends in a hook 26. The inner wall 20 has a greater radius of curvature than the outer wall 22, curving around 90° between the hook 26 and the seal engaging portion 16. The outer wall 22 also extends away from the seal engaging portion 16, forming a step 28 which then plateaus in a substantially flat area 30. The flat area 30 then extends into a curved portion 32. The curved portion 32 terminates in a foot 34. The foot 34 and the hook 26 are attached to opposing ends of the connecting wall 24. The hook 26 has a tapered end 26a that is curved in the direction on the foot 34.

The seal 14 is co-extruded with the elongate body 12 during fabrication, with the rear of the seal 14 being integrally bonded to the substantially flat portion of the seal engaging portion 16. The seal 14 also has a flange 38 of a complementary shape to the step 28, which bonds onto the step 28. The other side of the seal 14 has a recessed (or depressed) central area 40 which is bounded by an upper wall 42a and a lower wall 42b.

The upper walls 42a, 42b are both resilient, as is the entire seal 14, being made of a rubbery material to form a seal against a glazed unit or panel. The seal 14 extends substantially across the entire face of the seal engaging portion 16.

In addition to the glazing bead 10, the glazing assembly 100 includes a frame member 104 and a conventional glazed unit, in this case including two panes of glass 102a, 102b separated by a spacer 106 holding the desiccant and a peripheral rubberised seal. Equivalent frame members and glazing beads are provided, for example on the top, left-and right-hand sides, to form the complete glazed assembly 100, with four glazing beads arranged in the form of a quadrant. However, only the bottom frame member 104 and glazing bead 10 are discussed in detail, as similar descriptions apply to the other equivalent components. The glazing bead 10 and its equivalents may be pre-cut to the correct lengths for the frame, or may be cut to size immediately prior to installation.

The frame member 104 includes an L-shaped portion (or rebate), demarcated by the dashed region 108, and a bead engaging region demarcated by the dashed region 110. A foam gasket 112 is held in an upper part of the L-shaped portion 108, and is sealed against the glazed unit 102a when the glazing assembly 100 is installed with the glazing bead 10 in place. Pressure from the foam gasket 112 transfers force through the glazed units 102a, 102b and spacer 106 to secure the glazing bead 10 in position, substantially preventing the hook 26 from being easily detached from the bead engaging region 110.

The bead engaging region 110 includes a foot bearing area 114 and an undercut 116.

The foot bearing area 114 is connected to the undercut 116 by an inclined wall 118. The inclined wall 118 has a slope 118a, i.e. the upper surface of the undercut 116. The hook 26 rests against the slope 118a when the bead 10 is placed on the glazing assembly 100, ready for installation. The foot bearing area 114 lies above the undercut 116 in the frame member 104, but it will be appreciated that it may lie below the undercut or to one side of the undercut for equivalent frame members forming the remainder of the glazing assembly 100. The undercut 116 faces inwards from the nearest edge of the frame member 104, forming a complementary overhang or hook that can engage with and retain the hook 26 of the glazing bead 10.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, the glazing assembly 100 is shown connected with an extended sill portion 200. The glazing bead 10 is shown in a disconnected position in Figure 3, about to be installed into the glazing assembly 100. To install the bead 10 in the position illustrated in Figure 1, the bead 10 rested against the frame member 104, and the bead is then rotated forward (i.e. towards the panel 102b) at the same time as downward pressure is applied. Figure 4 illustrates a corner of the glazing assembly having the glazing bead 10 described above meet a second glazing bead 10a in a mitre joint at the corner. This arrangement is replicated similarly in three other corners to form a complete glazing assembly, with four glazing beads forming a quadrant.

The bead 10 is inherently flexible by virtue of the combination of its curved walls and the lengths of the extended hook and foot, which form an open cavity next to the connecting wall 24. When pressure is applied, the curved walls can curve slightly further, and the connecting wall 24 can approach the bead engaging area 110. This allows the hook 26 to be temporarily displaced away from the foot 34 (and the foot 34 away from the hook 26). This in turn widens the angle at which the hook 26 approaches and engages with the undercut 116 during rotation of the bead 10.

During installation, the hook 26 of the bead 10 rests on the inclined (or sloped) wall 118a. When force is applied, the hook 26 slides along the slope 118a of the inclined wall 118 as the shape of the bead 10 is deformed by the applied force. There is a gap between the connecting wall 24 and the bead engaging area 110, facilitating downward movement of the connecting wall 24 under pressure and hence the displacement of the hook 26 from the foot 34. The foot 34 stabilises the glazing bead 10 throughout the application of force, bearing against the foot bearing portion 114 as the hook 26 bears along the slope 118a.

As the hook 26 extends away from the foot 34, its tapered end 26a clears the edge of the inclined wall 118, i.e. the lip of the undercut 116. At this point, the slope 118a no longer exerts an opposing force against the hook 26 and, as the applied force is removed (or its energy is dissipated), the hook 26 latches to the undercut 116 and the bead 10 returns to its normal shape. Concurrently, the seal 14 is compressed against the glazed unit as the force is applied, with the central area 40 sealing against the pane 102b. The bead 10 is then held in tension across the frame, maintaining a good seal between the seal 14 and the glazed unit. The weight, or back pressure, of the glazed unit then holds the bead 10 in position against the frame.

The resilient nature of the bead 10 as a whole allows an installer to glaze a window, by snapping or clipping the bead 10 quickly into position using a mallet, for example. The above processes occur in fractions of a second, and the bead 10 springs back to its designed shape, greatly reducing the time needed to install glazing beads (also known as removable trim). The bead 10 can then pivot back to rest on the underside of the frame member 104 using the weight of the glass panels 102a, 102b to compress the bead 10 and forcibly maintain it in a locked position.

Having the undercut face inwardly (i.e. with the lip of the undercut facing towards the far edge of the frame, rather than the near edge) is more secure than having it face outwardly. This is because the hook 26 catches against the frame when pressure is applied from the outside of the glazing assembly 100. For this reason, the foot 34 is extended from the body of the bead 10, to provide a fulcrum against which the whole bead 10 can be flexed during installation, hence widening the bite angle of the hook as explained above.

The embodiments described above are provided by way of example only, and various changes and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A glazing bead comprising an extruded elongate body and seal for fixing a glazed unit in a frame, the body having a seal engaging portion, a frame engaging portion, an inner wall and an outer wall, the frame engaging portion including a projection forming a foot adjacent the outer wall, and a hook adjacent the inner wall, the hook extending towards the foot.
2. A glazing bead as claimed in claim 1, in which the hook has a tapered end.
3. A glazing bead as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the frame engaging portion includes a connecting wall extending between the outer wall and the inner wall, acting as a bridge between the foot and the hook.
4. A glazing bead as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, in which the hook extends downwards from the inner wall along a line substantially parallel to the seal engaging portion before extending towards the foot.
5. A glazing bead as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the seal has an outer surface to seal against the glazed unit, the outer surface having a recessed central area and at least one side wall disposed adjacent to and proud of the central area.
6. A glazing bead as claimed in claim 5, in which the at least one side wall is resilient.
7. A glazing bead as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the outer wall includes a substantially flat area extending perpendicularly away from the seal engaging portion.
8. A glazing bead as claimed in claim 7, in which the outer wall includes a curved portion, which extends away from the substantially flat area.
9. A glazing bead as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the inner wall is curved and extends from the seal engaging portion to the hook.
10. A glazing bead as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the inner wall has a radius of curvature equal to or greater than that of the outer wall.
11. A glazing bead as claimed in claim, in which the seal engaging portion has a substantially flat surface.
12. A glazing bead as claimed in claim 11, in which the substantially flat surface of the seal engaging portion has a step.
13. A glazing bead as claimed in claim 12, in which the seal has a substantially flat portion on one side in engagement with the seal engaging portion, and a flange along one edge engaged with the step.
14 A glazing assembly comprising a frame member, and at least one glazing bead as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, the frame member having a receiving area to receive an edge of a glazed unit, and a bead engaging area, where the receiving area includes an L-shaped rebate to one side thereof and a further seal mounted to the rebate for engaging and retaining one face of the glazing unit, the at least one glazing bead lies to the other side of the glazed unit and spans between the glazed unit and the bead engaging area to engage and retain the other face of the glazed unit, and the bead engaging area includes a foot bearing area and an undercut, the undercut facing internally towards the rebate to engage the or each hook, the or each hook bearing against the undercut when the or each glazing bead is installed.
15. A glazing assembly as claimed in claim 14, in which the connecting wall of the or each glazing bead lies substantially clear of the bead engaging area.
16. A glazing assembly as claimed in claims 14 or 15, in which an inclined wall connects the undercut and foot bearing area.
17. A glazing assembly as claimed in claim 16, in which the inclined wall declines from the foot bearing area to the undercut via one or more slopes or steps, or a combination of these.
18. A glazing bead substantially as described herein, with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.