Drainage system for a window and the like

Abstract

In an extruded window frame, engineered foam patches are attached to the window frame for delivery to the job site. In combination with a sealant bead that is applied at the job site to the perimeter of the nail fin on the window frame, the foam patches serve as weep holes. Moisture reaching the interior of the rough framed opening of the building after installation of the windows is channeled between the sealant bead and the inside of the window frame. The foam patches, applied as a spaced-apart pair to the inside surface of the nail fin are in physical contact with the sealant bead to receive channeled rainwater, which can flow by gravity to the bottom of the window frame and exit the window. The foam patches block entry of insects.

Claims

1. A frame for a building intrusion, comprising: (a) a frame defined by a head, a left jamb, a right jamb opposing said left jamb, and a sill opposing said head; (b) at least one pane in said frame; (c) at least one open cell foam patch on said sill defining at least one weephole, said open cell foam patch having a first side and an opposing second side; and (d) a bead of sealant carried on said frame extending around said pane in said window frame from said first side of said at least one open cell foam patch on said sill to said left jamb, to said head, to said right jamb and to said sill and then to said opposing side of said at least one open cell foam patch on said sill, said at least one foam patch defining said at least one weep hole, wherein said bead of sealant on said frame leads water to flow along said bead to said open cell foam patch wherein said water passes to the exterior of said frame without allowing ingress of insects; channels in said window frame, said channels communicating with said at least one open cell foam patch inside said bead of sealant so that water in said channels drains through said at least one foam patch.

2. The window of claim 1, wherein said window frame includes a nail fin, and wherein said bead of sealant and said at least one open cell foam patch are carried by said nail fin.

3. The window of claim 1, wherein said at least one open cell foam patch is two open cell foam patches.

4. The window of claim 3, wherein said two open cell foam patches are spaced apart.

5. The window of claim 3, wherein said two open cell foam patches have a bead of sealant between them.

6. A method of installing a window with built in seepage, said method comprising: (a) providing a window frame including a nail fin; (b) applying at least one open cell foam patch to said nail fin, said at least one open cell foam patch having a first side and a second side; (c) applying a bead of sealant running to said first side of said at least one open cell foam patch and from said second side of said at least one open cell foam patch along said nail fin, wherein said bead of sealant does not traverse said at least one open cell foam patch; wherein said bead of sealant on said frame leads water to flow along said bead to said open cell foam patch wherein said water passes to the exterior of said frame without allowing ingress of insects; and (d) pressing said bead of sealant, and said at least one open cell foam patch onto framing of a building.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said window frame includes a left jamb and a right jamb, and wherein said method further comprises the step of placing a first open cell foam patch of said at least one open cell foam patch close to said left jamb and a second open cell foam patch of said at least one open cell foam patch close to said right jamb.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said window frame includes a left jamb and a right jamb, and wherein said method further comprises the step of applying said bead of sealant between said first open cell foam patch and said second open cell foam patch, and applying a second bead of sealant running from said first open cell foam patch to said second open cell foam patch running from said second side of said first open cell foam patch to said first side of said second open cell foam patch via said left jamb and said right jamb.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the figures,

(2) FIG. 1 is front view of a manufactured window frame with window including a sealant bead and two foam patches that define two weep holes, according to an aspect of the disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 is a side, cross-sectional view of a representative window frame showing the path of rainwater below the window frame to an open cell foam patch adhered to the nail fin, according to an aspect of the disclosure;

(4) FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 2 showing the foam patch with one protective cover being peeled away in preparation for adhering that side of the foam patch to the nail fin; and

(5) FIG. 3B shows the cross sectional view of FIG. 3A, with one protective cover removed and the adhesive of that side of foam patch adhered to the nail fin, according to an aspect of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 shows the inside of a window 10. Window 10 has a window frame 14 that includes a head 18 and a sill 22 and a left jamb 26 and a right jamb 30. Inside window frame 14, there is a window pane 34; the outside of window frame 14 carries a nail fin 38 that is to be nailed to the outside of the framing around window 10. Channel 42 may collect water from outside the window as a result of rain, melted snow, window washing, and condensation. Collected water may drip downward through channel 42 inside window frame 14 toward sill 22.

(7) A bead 46 of sealant is applied to keep the draining water away from the edge 50 of nail fin 38. At the bottom of window frame 14, nail fin 38 carries at least one and preferably two foam patches 54, 56, that are bounded on the left and right by bead 46. Water that drains, on reaching foam patches 54, 56, is wicked into the foam and then drains naturally by a combination of gravity, wicking, surface tension and pressure from the water coming behind it.

(8) Importantly, the open cell foam of foam patches 54, 56, prevents many insects, such as bees, wasps, hornets and flies from entering the interior of window 10 and the window frame of the house.

(9) Also of importance is that the design, materials, placement, and application of the foam patches 54, 56, are engineered as part of the engineered window frame. Instead of depending on installers to leave gaps in the sealant bead at the right places, foam patches 54, 56, are designed in size, shape, materials, numbers, and locations and then applied to nail fin 38 during manufacture. Furthermore, foam patches 54, 56, can be customized just as the thermal efficiency, sound-proofing, ultraviolet and infrared resistance, and scratch-resistance of window pane 34 may be customized for the environment of the locale of expected use.

(10) The foam inside foam patches 54, 56, is preferably open cell foam with a first protective cover 72 adhered to one face and a second protective cover 74 adhered to the opposing face. Protective cover 72 may be peeled from an adhesive layer 76; second protective cover 74 may be peeled from an adhesive layer 78. Foam patches 54, 56, may be 5 centimeters (2 inches) high and 2½ centimeters (1 inch) wide and 2-3 millimeters thick. The precise dimensions will depend on the application and a modest amount of experimentation well within the capability of a window manufacturer.

(11) In installation, and as shown in FIG. 2 and by comparing FIGS. 3A and 3B, window 10 is installed by applying the foam patches 54, 56, on nail fin 38 approximately 7-8 centimeters from left jamb 26 and 7-8 centimeters from right jamb 30, respectively. At the job site, bead 46 of sealant is run horizontally and directly between top edges 66, 68, of foam patches 54, 56. A second bead of sealant is run from the left side of foam patch 54 to the right side of foam patch 56 around window frame 14 on the same side of nail fin 38 as foam patches 54, 56, to seal against water intrusion into the framing of the building.

(12) In manufacture, the components of window frame 14 are manufactured by extrusion or milling and then assembled and fastened. Foam patches 54, 56 are placed on nail fin 38, affixed a short distance such as 7-8 cm from left jamb and 7-8 cm from the right jamb, respectively. The distance between them may depend on the width of the window 10.

(13) FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view of window frame 10 with pane 34 (double pane) as indicated at the bottom of FIG. 1. Window frame 10 is extruded of polyvinyl chloride and rests on sill 22. Nail fin 38 has been nailed or screwed to sill 22. Foam patch 56 is applied to nail fin 38, which may be done prior to shipping window frame 10 to the job site, by removing protective cover 74 to expose adhesive 78. In construction, the rough opening has been framed in with wood 80 and covered with waterproof tape 82

(14) Those familiar with window manufacturing and installation will appreciate that changes and substitutions may be made in the foregoing description of the improved window without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.