Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Openwork; e.g. – truss – trellis – grille – screen – frame – or... – Fabric or lattice; e.g. – indeterminate grating
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-20
2001-06-12
Canfield, Robert (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Openwork; e.g., truss, trellis, grille, screen, frame, or...
Fabric or lattice; e.g., indeterminate grating
C052S656900, C052S204610, C403S247000, C403S252000, C403S403000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244012
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to muntin grid joiners and more particularly to muntin grid joiners that remain hidden from view while joining muntin bars together.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Grids formed by interconnected muntin bars are installed between glass panes in insulating glass units used in windows and doors. Joiners for tubular metal muntin bars are in widespread use in constructing such grids. Some joiners have a square central body and four legs projecting at right angles to each other from the body. The legs telescope into four respective muntin bars and the joiner body forms a visible juncture of the bars. With the advent of contoured muntin bars that may have differing cross sectional shapes and be variously colored, the use of visible joiners has become complicated because of the multiplicity of joiner types required to produce a full range of muntin grid shapes and colors.
Joiners have been proposed that secure muntin bars together while remaining hidden from view when the final grid is installed in a window or door. Hidden muntin bar joiners have reduced the inventory problems associated with visible joiners because the joiner color need not match the muntin bar colors and the joiner shape is not dependent on the muntin bar profile. Nevertheless, hidden joiners have produced inventory problems of their own.
The proposed hidden joiners were constructed so that one joiner section was inserted in a muntin bar and then through a slot in a second transverse muntin bar after which it mated with a second joiner section. The second joiner section was telescoped into a third muntin bar—either before or after mating with the first joiner section—so that the first and third muntin bars were aligned and the second muntin bar extended transversely with respect to them. The ends of the first and third muntin bars were cut to interfit with the second muntin bar and form a grid juncture.
The first and second joiner sections were constructed and arranged so that they could be pushed together and permanently secured. The proposed construction provided a pair of barbed stems projecting from the first joiner section and a female receptacle for the stems in the second joiner section. Consequently, window and door producers were required to inventory multiple joiner sections for every muntin bar size being fabricated into grids.
The present invention provides a new and improved one piece muntin bar joiner that is easily and quickly installed, hidden from view in the assembled grid, and minimizes muntin bar joiner inventory problems attendant fabricating muntin grids.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a muntin bar joiner comprising a relatively flat, thin body, a first muntin bar engagement leg extending from one end of the body, a second muntin bar engagement leg extending from an opposite end of the body and first and second abutments extending from the body. The muntin bar engagement legs extend along a longitudinal axis of the joiner and the first and second abutments extend from the body transverse to the axis. Each abutment comprises a muntin bar abutment face oriented in a direction transverse to the axis, with the abutment faces facing in opposite axial directions. One of the abutments is constructed for making latching engagement with a muntin bar.
In preferred embodiments of the invention opposite sides of the body define substantially parallel major surfaces having substantially parallel opposite edges extending substantially parallel to the axis. One abutment comprises a resiliently deflectable finger. In one preferred embodiment the abutment extends from one of the body sides. In another embodiment the abutment extends from a body edge.
The new joiner is assembled into a muntin grid by passing one muntin bar engagement leg through aligned slits in a muntin bar so the engagement legs project from opposite sides of the muntin bar. The joiner body is secured in position within the muntin bar by the muntin bar engagement abutments. The abutments engage spaced locations on the muntin bar and resist joiner body motion relative to the muntin bar. The first and second muntin bar engagement legs are telescoped into second and third muntin bar ends, respectively, to complete a muntin bar grid joint.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following descriptions of preferred embodiments made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3785110 (1974-01-01), Galloway et al.
patent: 4019300 (1977-04-01), Sauer et al.
patent: 4683634 (1987-08-01), Cole
patent: 5048997 (1991-09-01), Peterson
patent: 5099626 (1992-03-01), Seeger
patent: 5177920 (1993-01-01), Rafeld
patent: 5678377 (1997-10-01), Leopold
patent: 5791102 (1998-08-01), Sheath et al.
patent: 3225651 (1984-01-01), None
Contoured Muntin Bar External Intersect, Copyright 1996-1998 Allmetal, Inc.
Bayform Solutions For The Window Industry, Copyright© 1995.
Khalfoun Mohamed C.
McGlinchy Timothy Bryan
Canfield Robert
Glass Equipment Development, Inc.
Watts Hoffmann Fisher & Heinke
LandOfFree
Muntin grid and joiner does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Muntin grid and joiner, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Muntin grid and joiner will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2479397