Granted Patent B2

US 12,215,536 · App. 17/930,134 · Granted Feb 4, 2025

Inventors: Jonathan Funk (Huntersville, NC); David Lee Yagla (Klamath Falls, OR); Philip Steven Perkins (Klamath Falls, OR)

E06B1/6007

Abstract

Claims (46)

1. A mulling system for mulling a first fenestration frame that supports a first glazing unit to a second fenestration frame that supports a second glazing unit, the mulling system comprising:

a first joining plate with a first inner face configured to overlie a first outer edge of the first fenestration frame to removably attach the first joining plate to the first fenestration frame, the first joining plate including a first outer face facing opposite the first inner face, the first inner face including a first recessed channel;

a second joining plate configured to overlie and removably attach to a second outer edge of the second fenestration frame, the second joining plate including a second outer face, the second joining plate configured to engage the first joining plate to join together the first fenestration frame and the second fenestration frame with the first outer face facing the second outer face;

a deflectable seal member attached to the first joining plate and having a sealing surface that faces away from the first outer face, the sealing surface configured to deflect and seal against the second outer face of the second joining plate; and

a first sealing strip that is received within the first recessed channel to seal between and abut the first inner face and the first outer edge of the first fenestration frame.

2. The mulling system of claim 1 , wherein the deflectable seal member includes a first strip and a second strip that are connected at a deflectable joint, the first strip being layered against the first joining plate, and the second strip including the sealing surface.

3. The mulling system of claim 1 , wherein the first joining plate and the second joining plate are engageable at a mull joint, the mull joint having an inner side and an outer side that are separated along an interior-exterior axis, and wherein the deflectable seal is disposed closer to the outer side than the inner side along the interior-exterior axis.

4. The mulling system of claim 1 , wherein the second joining plate includes a second inner face that faces the second outer edge of the second fenestration frame, the second inner face including a second recessed channel; and

further comprising a second sealing strip that is received within the second recessed channel to define a second seal between the second inner face and the second outer edge of the second fenestration frame.

5. The mulling system of claim 1 , wherein the first joining plate includes a first hook and a first flange disposed on opposite edges thereof;

wherein the second joining plate includes a second hook and a second flange disposed on opposite edges thereof; and

wherein the first hook is configured to receive the second flange and the second hook is configured to receive the first flange to attach the first joining plate and the second joining plate; and

further comprising a fastener configured to extend through the first hook to be partly received between the first joining plate and the second flange.

6. The mulling system of claim 1 , wherein the first joining plate includes an aperture for positioning a fastener to attach the first joining plate to the first fenestration frame, the aperture having a fastener axis that intersects and extends through the first sealing strip.

7. The mulling system of claim 1 , wherein the first joining plate includes an aperture that receives the deflectable seal to attach the deflectable seal to the first joining plate.

8. The mulling system of claim 1 , wherein the first joining plate and the second joining plate are configured to engage to define a mull joint that extends along a mulling axis;

wherein the first joining plate includes a first plate member, a second plate member, and a first thermal breaker that extend longitudinally along the mulling axis with the first thermal breaker attaching the first and second plate members;

wherein the second joining plate includes a third plate member, a fourth plate member, and a second thermal breaker that extend longitudinally along the mulling axis with the second thermal breaker attaching the third and fourth plate members.

9. The mulling system of claim 8 , wherein the first joining plate and the second joining plate substantially match to define a rotated and engaged arrangement of the first joining plate and the second joining plate, the first joining plate rotated one-hundred-eighty degrees about a mulling axis with respect to the second joining plate in the rotated and engaged arrangement.

10. A fenestration assembly comprising:

a first fenestration unit with a first frame that supports a first glazing unit, the first frame having a first outer edge;

a second fenestration unit with a second frame that supports a second glazing unit, the second frame having a second outer edge that faces the first outer edge; and

a mulling system that attaches the first fenestration unit and the second fenestration unit at the first outer edge and the second outer edge, respectively, the mulling system including:

a first joining plate with a first inner face that faces and overlies the first outer edge to removably attach the first joining plate to the first frame, the first joining plate including a first outer face that faces opposite the first inner face, the first inner face including a first recessed channel;

a second joining plate that overlies and is removably attached to the second outer edge, the second joining plate including a second outer face, the second joining plate engaging the first joining plate to join together the first frame and the second frame with the first outer face facing the second outer face;

a deflectable seal member attached to the first joining plate and having a sealing surface that faces away from the first outer face, the sealing surface deflected and sealed against the second outer face of the second joining plate; and

a first sealing strip that is received within the first recessed channel to seal between and abut the first inner face and the first outer edge of the first frame.

11. The fenestration assembly of claim 10 , wherein the deflectable seal member includes a first strip and a second strip that are connected at a deflectable joint, the first strip being layered against the first joining plate, and the second strip including the sealing surface.

12. The fenestration assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first joining plate and the second joining plate are engageable at a mull joint, the mull joint having an inner side and an outer side that are separated along an interior-exterior axis, and wherein the deflectable seal is disposed closer to the outer side than the inner side along the interior-exterior axis.

13. The fenestration assembly of claim 10 , wherein the second joining plate includes a second inner face that faces the second outer edge of the second frame, the second inner face including a second recessed channel; and

further comprising a second sealing strip that is received within the second recessed channel to define a second seal between the second inner face and the second outer edge of the second frame.

14. The fenestration assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first joining plate includes a first hook and a first flange disposed on opposite edges thereof;

wherein the second joining plate includes a second hook and a second flange disposed on opposite edges thereof; and

wherein the first hook receives the second flange, and the second hook receives the first flange to attach the first joining plate and the second joining plate; and

further comprising a fastener extending through the first hook to be partly received between the first joining plate and the second flange.

15. The fenestration assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first joining plate includes an aperture for positioning a fastener to attach the first joining plate to the first fenestration unit, the aperture having a fastener axis that intersects and extends through the first sealing strip.

16. The fenestration assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first joining plate includes an aperture that receives the deflectable seal to attach the deflectable seal to the first joining plate.

17. The fenestration assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first joining plate and the second joining plate are engaged to define a mull joint that extends along a mulling axis;

wherein the first joining plate includes a first plate member, a second plate member, and a first thermal breaker that extend longitudinally along the mulling axis with the first thermal breaker attaching the first and second plate members;

wherein the second joining plate includes a third plate member, a fourth plate member, and a second thermal breaker that extend longitudinally along the mulling axis with the second thermal breaker attaching the third and fourth plate members.

18. A method of assembling a fenestration assembly comprising:

providing a first fenestration unit with a first fenestration frame that supports a first glazing unit, the first fenestration frame including a first outer edge;

providing a second fenestration unit with a second fenestration frame that supports a second glazing unit, the second fenestration frame including a second outer edge;

removably attaching a first joining plate to the first outer edge, the first joining plate including a first inner face that overlies the first outer edge and a first outer face that faces opposite the first inner face, including providing a first sealing strip in a first recessed channel of the first inner face, the first sealing strip sealing between and abutting the first inner face and the first outer edge;

removably attaching a second joining plate to the second outer edge, the second joining plate including a second outer face; and

engaging the first joining plate and the second joining plate to join together the first fenestration unit and the second fenestration unit with the first outer face facing the second outer face and the first outer edge facing the second outer edge, including, deflecting a deflectable seal member that is attached to the first joining plate and that has a sealing surface that faces away from the first outer face, the sealing surface deflecting and sealing against the second outer face of the second joining plate as the first and second joining plates are engaged.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (48)