Weatherstrip carrier that removably attaches to fenestration unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12338679-B2
Application number	US-202117443347-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2021
Priority date	Jul 26, 2021
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

A weatherstrip carrier of a replaceable weatherstrip system for a fenestration unit includes a weatherstrip support configured to hold a weatherstrip. The weatherstrip carrier also includes a coupling member that is attached to the weatherstrip support. The coupling member is configured to removably attach to the fenestration unit. The coupling member includes a spine, a first projection, and a second projection. The first and second projections project from the spine in a common direction. The coupling member is resiliently flexible for movement between a neutral position and a flexed position. The first and second projections are biased toward each other when the weatherstrip carrier is in the flexed position. The second projection is configured to be removably received within the fenestration unit, with the weatherstrip carrier in the flexed position, and with the first and second projections cooperatively compressing against the fenestration unit to retain the weatherstrip carrier thereon.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A slider fenestration unit comprising:
a frame with a sill that includes a base and an upstand that projects from the base, the sill including a channel partly defined by the base and the upstand, the upstand including an outward-facing face, an inward-facing face, and a lip surface that extends between the outward-facing and inward-facing faces;
a panel that is supported by the frame, the panel including a peripheral area that is received inside the channel with a panel face of the panel at the peripheral area facing the inward-facing face of the upstand with a gap defined therebetween; and
a weatherstrip system that is removably attached to the upstand of the sill, the weatherstrip system including a weatherstrip carrier and a weatherstrip that is supported by the weatherstrip carrier;
the weatherstrip carrier including a spine, a first projection, and a second projection, the first and second projections projecting from the spine in a direction toward the panel face, the weatherstrip attached to the first projection;
the weatherstrip carrier being resiliently flexible for movement between a neutral position and a flexed position, the first and second projections being biased toward each other when the weatherstrip carrier is in the flexed position; and
the second projection removably received within the outward-facing face of the upstand and the first projection biased against the lip surface with the weatherstrip carrier in the flexed position to clamp the weatherstrip carrier on the upstand, to dispose the weatherstrip over the gap, and to position the weatherstrip against the panel.

2. The slider fenestration unit of claim 1 , wherein the slider fenestration unit is a sliding door unit; and
wherein the panel is chosen from a group, the group consisting of:
a sliding door active panel that is supported for sliding movement along the sill within the frame; and
a sliding door passive panel that is fixed within the frame.

3. The slider fenestration unit of claim 1 , wherein the first and second projections extend along imaginary intersecting lines that are disposed at an acute angle relative to each other when the weatherstrip carrier is in the neutral position, wherein the weatherstrip carrier is resiliently flexible to vary the acute angle as the weatherstrip carrier resiliently flexes between the neutral position and the flexed position.

4. The slider fenestration unit of claim 3 , wherein the first projection includes a substantially planar underside surface, and wherein the second projection includes a substantially planar opposing surface that opposes the underside surface, and wherein the acute angle is defined between the underside surface and the opposing surface.

5. The slider fenestration unit of claim 1 , wherein the sill defines a longitudinal slider axis for the slider fenestration unit and the direction extends along a transverse axis that is normal to the longitudinal slider axis; and
wherein the first projection includes an exterior surface that is sloped relative to a plane defined by the longitudinal slider axis and the transverse axis.

6. The slider fenestration unit of claim 1 , wherein the second projection includes at least one barb that is resiliently flexible and that frictionally engages an interior surface of the upstand.

7. The slider fenestration unit of claim 1 , wherein the weatherstrip is removably attached to the first projection of the weatherstrip carrier.

8. The slider fenestration unit of claim 7 , wherein the first projection of the weatherstrip carrier includes an aperture that receives the weatherstrip.

9. The slider fenestration unit of claim 8 , wherein the aperture is a groove that is configured to removably receive the weatherstrip.

10. The slider fenestration unit of claim 1 , wherein the weatherstrip carrier is unitary and monolithic.

11. The slider fenestration unit of claim 10 , wherein the weatherstrip carrier includes a first portion and a second portion that are integrally connected to be unitary and monolithic, the second portion having higher flexibility than the first portion, and the second portion being of a different material from the first portion.

12. The slider fenestration unit of claim 1 , wherein the spine includes a first portion and a second portion that defines an edge, wherein the first projection extends from the first portion, wherein the second projection is spaced from the edge, the spine including a flange defined between the second projection and the edge.

13. The slider fenestration unit of claim 1 , wherein the outward-facing face faces away from the panel face, wherein the spine at least partly covers the outward-facing face of the upstand, wherein the upstand projects from the base along a second direction, wherein the lip surface faces along the second direction, and wherein the first projection is configured to at least partly cover the lip surface of the upstand with the weatherstrip substantially sealed against the panel face.

14. The slider fenestration unit of claim 1 , wherein the spine comprises a hinge that pivotally joins the first projection and the second projection.

15. A method of manufacturing a slider fenestration unit comprising:
providing a frame with a sill that includes a base and an upstand that projects from the base, the sill including a channel partly defined by the base and the upstand, the upstand including an outward-facing face, an inward-facing face, and a lip surface that extends between the outward-facing and inward-facing faces;
supporting a panel within the frame, the panel including a peripheral area that is received inside the channel with a panel face of the panel at the peripheral area facing the inward-facing face of the upstand with a gap defined therebetween; and
removably attaching a weatherstrip system to the upstand of the sill, the weatherstrip system including a weatherstrip carrier and a weatherstrip that is supported by the weatherstrip carrier, the weatherstrip carrier including a spine, a first projection, and a second projection, the first and second projections projecting from the spine along a direction toward the panel face, the weatherstrip attached to the first projection, including:
resiliently flexing the weatherstrip carrier away from a neutral position and toward a flexed position, the first and second projections being biased toward each other when the weatherstrip carrier is in the flexed position;
removably receiving the second projection within the outward-facing face of the upstand; and
biasing the first projection against the lip surface with the weatherstrip carrier in the flexed position to clamp the weatherstrip carrier on the upstand, to dispose the weatherstrip over the gap, and to position the weatherstrip against the panel.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising forming the weatherstrip carrier, including:
forming a weatherstrip support and a coupling member of the weatherstrip carrier, the weatherstrip support configured to hold the weatherstrip, and
the coupling member configured to removably attach to the upstand.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein forming the weatherstrip support and forming the coupling member includes extruding the weatherstrip support and the coupling member in a single extrusion.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising co-extruding the coupling member to include a first extruded portion and a second extruded portion of the coupling member, the first extruded portion having higher flexibility than the second extruded portion.

Assignees

• Jeld Wen Inc

Inventors

• Kindt Derek Lee
• Abbott Craig E

Classifications

• E06B1/70

  Sills; Thresholds · CPC title

• E06B7/2316

  used as a seal between the floor and the wing · CPC title

• E06B3/4636

  for doors (E06B3/4609 and E06B3/4654 - E06B3/4681 take precedence; sliding shower doors A47K3/34) · CPC title

• E06B3/4609

  for windows (E06B3/4654 - E06B3/4681 take precedence) · CPC title

• E06B7/231 Primary

  with a solid sealing part · CPC title