Step windows

Abstract

To provide a stepped window equipped with an outer sash and an inner sash in the upper window, which can improve thermal insulation performance and fire resistance performance. [Solution] This is a stepped window having an upper window and a lower window arranged above and below the transom 20. The upper window includes an outer sash and an inner sash. The transom 20 has a metal transom body 200 that is integrally constructed with a hollow portion 250 and includes an upper surface portion 220 that forms the lower frame of the upper window, a lower surface portion 210 that forms the upper frame of the lower window, and an interior surface portion 240, and a resin transom cover 260 that covers the interior surface portion 240 of the transom body 200. Furthermore, it includes heat-expandable foaming material 51 and heat-expandable foaming material 567 that expand in the event of a fire and fill the space partitioned between the lower frame 32 of the outer sash in the closed position and the upper surface portion 220. The heat-expandable foaming material 51 is attached to the upper surface portion 220, and the heat-expandable foaming material 567 is attached to the lower frame 32 of the outer sash.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a stepped window.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a stepped window in which an upper window and a lower window are connected via a mullion has been known (see Patent Document 1). In this stepped window, the lower frame of the upper window and the upper frame of the lower window are connected to each other without a mullion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, the stepped window described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that it is difficult to achieve both heat insulation performance and fire resistance performance, particularly in the mullion portion. That is, the upper frame of the upper window and the lower frame of the lower window are fixed to the building body, but the mullion and the lower frame of the upper window and the upper frame of the lower window joined to the mullion are not fixed to the building body, so they are likely to be deformed by the heat during a fire. Due to this deformation, a gap occurs at the joint between the upper window, the lower window, and the mullion, and the flame and heat on the outdoor side reach the indoor side. Therefore, when the portion exposed on the indoor side of the mullion is covered with a resin cover material to improve the heat insulation performance, the resin material such as the cover material may catch fire due to the flame and heat reaching the indoor side during a fire, and the fire resistance performance may deteriorate. In particular, when the upper windows are composed of sliding windows or single-hung windows with outer and inner sashes, it is difficult to achieve both thermal insulation and fire resistance. Specifically, in order to improve thermal insulation, it is necessary to install double or triple glazing in the outer and inner sashes, which increases the depth of each sash. Consequently, the depth of the outer and inner rails that guide the outer and inner sashes also increases. The space between each rail connects to the interior space on the interior side of the outer sash and to the exterior space on the exterior side of the inner sash, and is therefore sealed with a windbreak plate corresponding to the meeting stile of each sash. However, the area exposed to the outside differs on the left and right sides, i.e., on the outer sash side and the lower frame fixed to the transom, resulting in an imbalance in heat absorption and dissipation on the left and right sides, causing twisting deformation, which can create gaps in the windbreak plate area, or if the windbreak plate melts, flames from the outside can reach the interior through the space between the rails, easily reducing fire resistance.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a stepped window equipped with an outer sash and an inner sash in the upper window, which can improve thermal insulation performance and fire resistance performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The stepped window of the present invention is a stepped window having an upper window and a lower window arranged above and below a transom, wherein the upper window comprises an outer sash and an inner sash, and the transom comprises a metal transom body integrally constructed having a hollow portion and comprising an upper surface portion forming the lower frame of the upper window, a lower surface portion forming the upper frame of the lower window, and an interior surface portion, and a resin transom cover covering the interior surface portion of the transom body, and comprises a first heat-expandable material and a second heat-expandable material that expand in the event of a fire and fill the space partitioned between the lower frame of the outer sash in the closed position and the upper surface portion, wherein the first heat-expandable material is attached to the upper surface portion and the second heat-expandable material is attached to the lower frame of the outer sash. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a stepped window equipped with an outer sash and an inner sash in the upper window, which can improve both thermal insulation performance and fire resistance performance. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] An interior view showing a stepped window according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A vertical cross-sectional view showing a stepped window of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] A cross-sectional view showing the upper window of the stepped window in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] A vertical cross-sectional view showing the transom of the stepped window of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] A plan view showing the top surface of the transom of the stepped window of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] A vertical cross-sectional view showing the upper frame of the stepped window in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] A vertical cross-sectional view showing the lower frame of the stepped window in the first embodiment. [Figure 8] A vertical cross-sectional view showing the state in which an auxiliary component is attached to the lower frame of the outer sliding door of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] A cross-sectional view showing the state in which an auxiliary component is attached to the lower frame of the outer sliding door of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] An interior view showing a stepped window according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] A vertical cross-sectional view showing a stepped window of the second embodiment. [Figure 12] A cross-sectional view showing the lower window of the stepped window in the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] [First Embodiment] Hereinafter, a stepped window according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the stepped window 1 of the first embodiment is a window installed in an opening of a building to partition the interior and exterior spaces, and consists of an upper window 2 and a lower window 3 arranged vertically. Figure 1 is an interior view of the stepped window 1, Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the stepped window 1, and Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the upper window 2. In addition, in the stepped window 1 of this embodiment, both the upper window 2 and the lower window 3 are constructed as sliding windows. In the following description, the left - right direction of the stepped window 1 is defined as the X - axis direction, the up - down direction of the stepped window 1 is defined as the Y - axis direction, and the prospective direction of the stepped window 1 is defined as the Z - axis direction. The X, Y, and Z - axis directions are orthogonal to each other.

[0010] The stepped window 1 includes a window frame 10, an outer shutter 30 disposed within the window frame 10, and an inner shutter 40. The window frame 10 is configured by framing an upper frame 11, a lower frame 12, left and right vertical frames 13, 14, and a mullion 20. In this embodiment, the window frame of the upper window 2 is constituted by the upper frame 11, the mullion 20, and the left and right vertical frames 13, 14, and the window frame of the lower window 3 is constituted by the mullion 20, the lower frame 12, and the left and right vertical frames 13, 14. That is, the mullion 20 forms the lower frame of the upper window 2 and the upper frame of the lower window 3.

[0011] [Mullion] As shown in FIG. 4, the mullion 20 includes an aluminum (metal) mullion body 200, a resin mullion cover 260, and resin covers 261, 262, 271, 272, 273. Therefore, the mullion 20 is an aluminum - resin composite material having an aluminum mullion body 200 and a resin mullion cover 260 that covers the indoor exposed surface of the mullion body 200.

[0012] The mullion body 200 is an integral aluminum extrusion formed member that includes a lower surface portion 210 forming the upper frame of the lower window 3, an upper surface portion 220 forming the lower frame of the upper window 2, an outdoor surface portion 230, an indoor surface portion 240, and has a hollow portion 250 surrounded by these.

[0013] The lower surface portion 210 has a prospective surface portion 211, an outer rail 212 for guiding the outer shutter 30, and an upper guide groove 213 for guiding the inner shutter 40. In the upper surface of the prospective surface portion 211, that is, within the hollow portion 250, screw holes for connection with the vertical frames 13, 14 are formed. The outer rail 212 is formed to extend downward from the prospective surface portion 211. The upper guide groove 213 is a groove defined by the prospective surface portion 211, an indoor - side hanging piece 214, and an intermediate hanging piece 215 and opening downward. The indoor-side hanging piece 214 extends downward from the indoor-side end of the prospective surface portion 211. An airtight material 61 that abuts against the inner shutter 40 of the lower window 3 is attached to the lower end of the indoor-side hanging piece 214 on the outdoor surface. Further, a cover holding piece 216 formed in a substantially L-shaped cross-section extends from the indoor surface of the indoor-side hanging piece 214. The intermediate hanging piece 215 is formed between the outer rail 212 and the indoor-side hanging piece 214 in the prospective surface portion 211 and is disposed between the outer shutter 30 and the inner shutter 40. An airtight material 62 that abuts against the outer shutter 30 of the lower window 3 is attached to the lower end of the intermediate hanging piece 215 on the outdoor surface.

[0014] Resin covers 261 and 262 are attached to the lower surface portion 210. The resin cover 261 is snap-fitted to the protrusion of the indoor-side hanging piece 214 and the protruding piece of the intermediate hanging piece 215 in the upper guide groove 213, and covers the indoor surface of the intermediate hanging piece 215 and the prospective surface portion 211. This resin cover 261 is attached to the indoor exposed surface of the upper guide groove 213, that is, the portion where the inner shutter 40 in the closed position is not disposed. Although not shown, in the upper guide groove 213, an aluminum cover that covers the indoor surface of the intermediate hanging piece 215 is provided in the portion where the resin cover 261 is not attached, that is, the portion where the inner shutter 40 in the closed position is disposed. The resin cover 262 is attached to the groove between the indoor-side hanging piece 214 and the cover holding piece 216 and covers the indoor-side hanging piece 214 so as not to be exposed to the indoor side. The resin cover 262 is attached over substantially the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the indoor-side hanging piece 214. Various components not shown in the figure, such as insect-proof components, wind stoppers, and shutter stoppers, are attached to the lower surface of the prospective surface portion 211 of the lower surface portion 210.

[0015] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the upper surface portion 220 includes a projection surface portion 221 provided substantially along the projection direction, an outer rail 222 and an inner rail 223 that guide the outer sash 30 and the inner sash 40, a facing piece portion 224 that extends upward from the indoor end of the projection surface portion 221 and is connected to the base end of the inner rail 223, a first projection piece portion 225 that extends outward from the base end of the inner rail 223, i.e., the upper end of the facing piece portion 224, a second projection piece portion 226 that extends inward from the base end of the inner rail 223, an indoor piece portion 227 that extends upward from the indoor end of the second projection piece portion 226, and a cover holding piece 228 formed in an L-shape in cross-section. The visible surface portion 221 is formed roughly along the visible direction and is inclined diagonally downward toward the outside from a certain point along the visible direction. Screw holes for connecting to the vertical frames 13 and 14 are formed in the lower surface of the visible surface portion 221, i.e., within the hollow portion 250. The first visible section 225 is formed along the entire length of the transom body 200 in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction), but a notch 2250 is formed at an intermediate position in the X-axis direction, that is, at the meeting position of the outer sash 30 and the inner sash 40. For this reason, the first visible section 225 comprises a left visible section 2251 on the left side when viewed from the inside, and a right visible section 2252 on the right side, with the notch 2250 in between.

[0016] A heat-expandable foaming material (thermal expansion fire-resistant material) 51 is attached to the exterior surface of the visible piece 224. Specifically, opposing projections 229 are formed on the upper surface of the visible surface 221 and the lower surface of the first visible piece 225. The upper and lower projections 229 and the visible piece 224 divide the pocket, and two layers of heat-expandable foaming material 51 are placed in this pocket in the visible direction. The upper projection 229 has a longer projection dimension, i.e., a longer vertical dimension, than the lower projection 229, making it difficult for the heat-expandable foaming material 51 to come loose. The heat-expanded foam material 51 is positioned from the end face of the left facing piece 2251 on the side of the vertical frame 13, beyond the notch 2250, to a position where it partially overlaps the right facing piece 2252, and is attached at each end by crimping the projections 229. The two heat-expanded foam materials 51 may be continuous in the X-axis direction, or they may be separated in the middle of the X-axis direction and composed of two separate members. The right and second visible sections 2252 and 226 also have heat-expandable foam materials 52 and 53 attached to them. The heat-expandable foam material 52 is fixed with screws to the upper surface of the right visible section 2252 on the outdoor side of the inner rail 223. In this embodiment, two heat-expandable foam materials 52 are attached side by side in the X-axis direction, but a single continuous heat-expandable foam material 52 may also be attached. The heat-expanded foam material 53 is fixed with screws to the upper surface of the second visible piece 226 on the indoor side of the inner rail 223. The heat-expanded foam material 53 is a single continuous piece in the X-axis direction, with one end positioned up to the location of the windbreak plate 17, which will be described later. The types of heat-expanding materials 51, 52, and 53 are appropriately selected according to the required expansion conditions, but in this embodiment, a low-temperature expansion type heat-expanding material is used in which the foaming temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature (for example, around 150°C).

[0017] An airtight seal 63 is attached to the outdoor end of the left projection section 2251 of the first projection section 225, which abuts against the outer sash 30 of the upper window 2. As a result, the upper window 2 employs an isobaric watertight structure. An airtight seal 64 is attached to the upper outdoor end of the interior section 227, which abuts against the inner sash 40 of the upper window 2. A windbreak plate 16 is attached to the end of the left-hand side of the visible section 2251 on the side of the notch 2250. Additionally, a windbreak plate 17 is attached to the indoor side of the windbreak plate 16, which is sandwiched between the inner rail 223.

[0018] The upper surface 220 of the transom 20 is fitted with a shoji screen stopper 25 to prevent the outer shoji screen 30 from colliding with the vertical frame 14, and a crescent stopper 26 to prevent the crescent of the inner shoji screen 40 from colliding with the vertical frame 13. The shoji screen stopper 25 and the crescent stopper 26 are positioned at a distance from the vertical frames 13 and 14, and a gap is maintained between the shoji screen stopper 25 and the crescent stopper 26 and the vertical frames 13 and 14. Furthermore, resin covers 271, 272, and 273 are attached to the upper surface portion 220. Resin cover 271 is attached to the left visible portion 2251 via a retaining plate 270. That is, the retaining plate 270 is fixed to the upper surface of the left visible portion 2251 with screws, and the resin cover 271 is attached to this retaining plate 270 with a snap structure. Therefore, the resin cover 271 is a first resin cover that covers the indoor exposed surface of the first visible portion 225 on the indoor side of the outer sash 30 when it is in the closed position. The resin cover 272 is a second resin cover that covers the indoor exposed surface of the second visible piece 226 on the indoor side of the outer sash 30 when it is in the closed position. The resin covers 271 and 272 are positioned between the crescent stopper 26 and the windbreak plates 16 and 17. The resin cover 273 is an angle material with a roughly L-shaped cross-section, and is engaged with the cover retaining piece 228 and the upper end of the interior piece 227, and is attached along approximately the entire length of the transom body 200 in the X-axis direction.

[0019] As shown in Figure 4, the exterior surface portion 230 and the interior surface portion 240 are connecting pieces that connect the exterior and interior ends of the lower surface portion 210 and the upper surface portion 220. Since the interior side of the upper surface portion 220 is at a higher position than the exterior side, the vertical dimension of the interior surface portion 240 is larger than the vertical dimension of the exterior surface portion 230.

[0020] A first reinforcing member 71 is attached to the hollow section 250 of the transom body 200, and a second reinforcing member 72 is attached to the interior side of the interior surface section 240. The first reinforcing member 71 is constructed by bending a steel plate and is arranged along the entire length of the transom body 200. The first reinforcing member 71 has a fixing piece 711 that is fixed to the interior surface 240 with screws and fixing pieces 712 that are fixed to the vertical frames 13 and 14 with screws at the left and right ends. The second reinforcing member 72 is constructed by bending a steel plate, and its length in the X-axis direction is slightly shorter than that of the first reinforcing member 71. The second reinforcing member 72 is fixed to the interior surface 240 with screws. The ends of the first reinforcing member 71 protrude to the left and right of the second reinforcing member 72, and screws for fixing the first reinforcing member 71 are provided in these parts. On the other hand, screws for fixing the second reinforcing member 72 are provided at multiple locations in the longitudinal direction, for example, at four locations. The fixing piece 711 of the first reinforcing member 71 has a hole that is larger than the screw diameter of the screws for fixing the second reinforcing member 72, and the screws for fixing the second reinforcing member 72 are inserted through this hole.

[0021] The transom cover 260 is positioned across the resin covers 262 and 273 and is fixed to the resin covers 262 and 273 with screws. The transom cover 260 covers the second reinforcing member 72 and the interior surface 240, so that the aluminum transom body 200 and the steel second reinforcing member 72 are not exposed to the interior side in the transom 20.

[0022] [Top frame] As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the upper frame 11 has an aluminum upper frame body 110 and resin covers 261 and 262. The upper frame body 110 is configured in the same way as the lower surface portion 210 of the transom 20. That is, the upper frame body 110 comprises a projection surface portion 111, an outer rail 112, an upper guide groove 113, an indoor side hanging piece 114, an intermediate hanging piece 115, and a cover retaining piece 116. These components correspond to the projection surface portion 211, outer rail 212, upper guide groove 213, indoor side hanging piece 214, intermediate hanging piece 215, and cover retaining piece 216 of the lower surface portion 210, so their description is omitted. Since the resin covers 261 and 262 are the same parts as the resin covers 261 and 262 attached to the lower surface portion 210 of the transom 20, their description is omitted. In addition, the upper frame body 110, like the lower section 210, is also fitted with various components not shown, such as insect-proof parts, windbreak plates, and shoji screen stoppers.

[0023] [Bottom frame] As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the lower frame 12 has an aluminum lower frame body 120 and resin covers 271, 272, and 273. The lower frame body 120 is constructed in the same way as the upper surface portion 220 of the transom 20. Specifically, the lower frame body 120 comprises a face portion 121, an outer rail 122, an inner rail 123, a visible piece 124, a first face portion 125, a second face portion 126, an interior piece 127, a cover retaining piece 128, and a projection piece 129. These components correspond to the face portion 221, outer rail 222, inner rail 223, visible piece 224, first face portion 225, second face portion 226, interior piece 227, cover retaining piece 228, and projection piece 229 of the upper surface portion 220, so a detailed explanation is omitted. Furthermore, since an airtight material 63 that abuts against the outer sash 30 is attached to the first face portion 125, the lower window 3, like the upper window 2, employs an equal-pressure watertight structure. The lower frame body 120 is fitted with a retaining plate 270 and resin covers 271, 272, and 273, which are the same parts as the upper surface portion 220 of the transom 20.

[0024] [Vertical frame] As shown in Figure 3, the left vertical frame 13 in the interior view consists of an aluminum vertical frame body 130 and a resin cover 180. The vertical frame body 130 comprises a projection surface 131, a pull-in piece 132, a seal-holding piece 133, and a cover-holding piece 134. The pull-in piece 132 is formed in a position corresponding to the outer rail 222 in the projection direction. The seal-holding piece 133 holds the airtight material 65 that abuts against the outer sash 30. In the vertical frame body 130, portions that interfere with the transom body 200, upper frame body 110, and lower frame body 120 are cut out, and the end faces of the transom body 200, upper frame body 110, and lower frame body 120 abut against the projection surface 131, and screws are screwed from the projection surface 131 into the screw holes of the transom body 200, upper frame body 110, and lower frame body 120, thereby connecting the transom body 200, upper frame body 110, lower frame body 120 to the vertical frame body 130. The airtight seal 65 and resin cover 180 are attached to the upper window 2 portion and the lower window 3 portion of the vertical frame body 130, respectively. Specifically, the airtight seal 65 and resin cover 180 of the upper window 2 are attached between the upper frame 11 and the transom 20, and the airtight seal 65 and resin cover 180 of the lower window 3 are attached between the transom 20 and the lower frame 12. Each resin cover 180 covers the exposed indoor surface of the vertical frame body 130 on the indoor side of the outer sash 30 when the upper window 2 and lower window 3 are in the closed position. Specifically, the resin cover 180 is attached by engaging with the projection of the seal retaining piece 133 and the groove of the cover retaining piece 134, and covers from the seal retaining piece 133 to the cover retaining piece 134. In addition, the indoor end of the resin cover 180 functions as an angle that separates the vertical frame 13 from the frame or the like.

[0025] A pair of heat-expandable foaming materials 54 are attached with screws to the upper window 2 and lower window 3 portions of the visible surface 131, with a pull-in piece 132 in between. That is, one heat-expandable foaming material 54 is positioned on the outdoor side of the pull-in piece 132, and the other heat-expandable foaming material 54 is positioned on the indoor side of the pull-in piece 132. The type of heat-expandable foaming material 54 is appropriately selected according to the required expansion conditions, but in this embodiment, a standard type of heat-expandable foaming material with a predetermined expansion temperature (for example, around 200°C) that is higher than that of a low-temperature expansion type is used.

[0026] In an internal view, the right-hand vertical frame 14 consists of an aluminum vertical frame body 140 and a resin cover 190. The vertical frame body 140 comprises a projection surface 141, a pull-in piece 142, a seal-holding piece 143, and a cover-holding piece 144. The pull-in piece 142 is formed in a position corresponding to the inner rail 223 in the projection direction. The seal-holding piece 143 holds the airtight material 66 that abuts against the inner sash 40. Similar to the vertical frame body 130, the vertical frame body 140 has cutouts in the parts that interfere with the transom body 200, the upper frame body 110, and the lower frame body 120. The end faces of the transom body 200, the upper frame body 110, and the lower frame body 120 abut against the projection surface 141, and screws are screwed from the projection surface 141 into the screw holes of the transom body 200, the upper frame body 110, and the lower frame body 120, thereby connecting the transom body 200, the upper frame body 110, the lower frame body 120, and the vertical frame body 140. The airtight seal 66 and resin cover 190 are attached to the upper window 2 and lower window 3 portions of the vertical frame body 130, respectively, just like the airtight seal 65 and resin cover 180. Specifically, the airtight seal 66 and resin cover 190 of the upper window 2 are attached between the upper frame 11 and the transom 20, and the airtight seal 66 and resin cover 190 of the lower window 3 are attached between the transom 20 and the lower frame 12. Each resin cover 190 covers the exposed indoor surface of the vertical frame body 140 on the indoor side of the inner sash 40 when the upper window 2 and lower window 3 are in the closed position. Specifically, the resin cover 190 is attached by engaging with the seal retaining piece 143 and the groove of the cover retaining piece 144, and covers the seal retaining piece 143 so that it is not exposed to the indoor side. The resin cover 190 functions as an angle that separates the vertical frame 13 from the frame or the like.

[0027] A pair of heat-expanding materials 55 are attached with screws to the upper window 2 and lower window 3 portions of the visible surface 141, with a pull-in piece 142 in between. That is, one heat-expanding material 55 is positioned on the outdoor side of the pull-in piece 142, and the other heat-expanding material 55 is positioned on the indoor side of the pull-in piece 142. The type of heat-expanding material 55 is appropriately selected according to the required expansion conditions, but in this embodiment, a standard type of heat-expanding material is used, just like the heat-expanding material 54.

[0028] [Exterior shoji screens and interior shoji screens] Next, the outer shoji screen 30 and the inner shoji screen 40 will be described. Since the outer shoji screen 30 and the inner shoji screen 40 are the same shoji screens for the upper window 2 and the lower window 3, respectively, they will be described using the same reference numerals. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the outer sash 30 is composed of an upper frame 31, a lower frame 32, a door edge frame 33, an outer meeting frame 34, and a facing material 35. The inner sash 40 is composed similarly to the outer sash 30, comprising an upper frame 41, a lower frame 42, a door edge frame 43, an inner meeting frame 44, and a facing material 45. Each frame is made of an aluminum-resin composite material comprising an aluminum exterior member and a resin interior member, as will be described later, and the facing materials 35 and 45 are made of double-glazed glass.

[0029] As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the upper frame 31 comprises an aluminum exterior member 310 and a resin interior member 360. The outdoor member 310 is equipped with a surface material holding groove for holding the surface material 35 via a backup material and sealing material, and rail grooves for guiding the outer rails 112 and 212. A heat-expanding material 561 is attached to the outdoor member 310 at a position opposite the upper surface of the surface material 35, and a heat-expanding material 562 is attached to the position opposite the indoor side of the outer rails 112 and 212. In addition, a heat-expanding material 563 is attached to the upper surface of the outdoor member 310 opposite the visible surface portions 111 and 211. These heat-expanding materials 561, 562, and 563 are attached along the entire length of the outdoor member 310 in the longitudinal direction. The type of heat-expanding material 561, 562, and 563 is appropriately selected according to the required expansion conditions, but in this embodiment, a standard type of heat-expanding material is used. Furthermore, an airtight material 67 is attached to the outdoor member 310 that abuts against the indoor surface of the outer rails 112 and 212. The interior member 360 is engaged with the exterior member 310 and covers the interior surface of the exterior member 310.

[0030] As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the upper frame 41 comprises an aluminum exterior member 410 and a resin interior member 460. The outdoor member 410 includes a surface material holding groove for holding the surface material 45 via a backup material and sealing material, and a guide part positioned in the upper guide groove 113. A heat-expanding material 571 is attached to the outdoor member 410 at a position facing the upper surface of the surface material 45. In addition, a heat-expanding material 572 is attached to the upper surface facing the lower surface 210 and the resin cover 261 attached to the upper frame body 110. These heat-expanding materials 571 and 572 are attached along the entire length of the outdoor member 410 in the longitudinal direction. The type of heat-expanding material 571 and 572 is appropriately selected according to the required expansion conditions, but in this embodiment, a standard type of heat-expanding material is used. Furthermore, the outdoor member 410 is fitted with an airtight material 68 that abuts against the resin cover 261 and an aluminum cover (not shown) positioned on the indoor side of the intermediate hanging pieces 115 and 215. The interior member 460 is engaged with the exterior member 410 and covers the interior surface of the interior member 460.

[0031] As shown in Figures 4 and 7, the lower frame 32 comprises an aluminum exterior member 320 and a resin interior member 370. The exterior member 320 includes a surface material holding groove that holds the surface material 35 via a backup material and sealing material, and opposing pieces positioned on either side of the exterior rails 122 and 222. A pair of heat-expanded foam materials 565 facing each other in the depth direction are attached to the surface material holding groove that holds the surface material 35, and a setting block that supports the surface material 35 is also positioned there. In addition, a pair of heat-expanded foam materials 566 are attached to the opposing pieces that sandwich the exterior rails 122 and 222. The outdoor member 320 has two hollow sections 321 and 322 arranged vertically. The lower surfaces of the left and right ends of the lower hollow section 322 are cut out, and a door roller 36 is positioned in this cutout. A heat-expanding material 567 is attached to the lower surface of the outdoor member 320 that is on the indoor side of the hollow section 322. Of the heat-expanding materials 566, the heat-expanding material 566 positioned on the outdoor side of the outer rails 122 and 222 is attached only to the left and right ends of the outdoor member 320 where the door roller 36 is positioned. The heat-expanding material 566 positioned on the indoor side of the outer rails 122 and 222, as well as the heat-expanding materials 565 and 567, are attached along the entire length of the outdoor member 320. The types of these heat-expanding materials 565, 566, and 567 are appropriately selected according to the required expansion conditions, but in this embodiment, a low-temperature expansion type heat-expanding material is used. The interior member 370 is engaged with the exterior member 320 and covers the interior surface of the exterior member 320.

[0032] As shown in Figure 7, the lower frame 42 comprises an aluminum exterior member 420 and a resin interior member 470. The exterior member 420 includes a surface material holding groove that holds the surface material 45 via a backup material and sealing material, and opposing pieces positioned on either side of the interior rails 123 and 223. The exterior member 420 has one hollow section 421, and the lower surfaces of the left and right ends of this hollow section 421 are cut out, and a door roller 46 is positioned in this cut-out section. A pair of heat-expandable foaming materials 575, facing each other in the depth direction, are attached to the surface material holding groove that holds the surface material 45, and a setting block that supports the surface material 45 is also positioned there. In addition, heat-expandable foaming materials 576 are attached to the opposing pieces on the outdoor side of the inner rails 123 and 223. The heat-expandable foaming materials 575 are attached along the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the outdoor member 420. The heat-expandable foaming materials 576 are attached only to the left and right ends of the outdoor member 420 where the door rollers 46 are positioned. The types of these heat-expandable foaming materials 575 and 576 are appropriately selected according to the required expansion conditions, but in this embodiment, a low-temperature expansion type heat-expandable foaming material is used. The interior member 470 is engaged with the exterior member 420 and covers the interior surface of the exterior member 420.

[0033] As shown in Figure 3, the door frame 33 comprises an aluminum exterior member 330 and a resin interior member 380. The exterior member 330 includes a surface material holding groove for holding the surface material 35 via a backup material and sealing material, and a holding groove for holding a guide component 37 that contacts the pull-in piece 132. A heat-expanding material 581 facing the outer surface of the surface material 35 is attached to the surface material holding groove for holding the surface material 35. An airtight material 69 is attached to the exterior piece of the holding groove for holding the guide component 37, and a heat-expanding material 582 is attached to the interior piece. The types of heat-expanding materials 581 and 582 are appropriately selected according to the required expansion conditions, but in this embodiment, a standard type of heat-expanding material is used. The interior member 380 is engaged with the exterior member 330 and covers the interior surface of the exterior member 330.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, the door frame 43 comprises an aluminum exterior member 430 and a resin interior member 480. The exterior member 430 includes a surface material holding groove for holding the surface material 45 via a backup material and sealing material, and a holding groove for holding a guide component 47 that contacts the pull-in piece 142. A heat-expanding material 591 facing the outer surface of the surface material 45 is attached to the surface material holding groove for holding the surface material 45. An airtight material 69 is attached to the exterior piece of the holding groove for holding the guide component 47, and a heat-expanding material 592 is attached to the interior piece. The types of heat-expanding materials 591 and 592 are appropriately selected according to the required expansion conditions, but in this embodiment, a standard type of heat-expanding material is used. The interior member 480 is engaged with the exterior member 430 and covers the interior surface of the exterior member 430.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, the exterior meeting stile 34 comprises an aluminum exterior member 340 and a resin interior member 390. The exterior member 340 is provided with a surface material holding groove for holding the surface material 35 via a backup material and sealing material, and a heat-expandable material 583 facing the outer surface of the surface material 35 is attached to this surface material holding groove. The exterior member 340 is also provided with a smoke return portion 341 that engages with the interior meeting frame 44, and two heat-expandable materials 584 are attached to the surface facing the smoke return portion 341. The types of heat-expandable materials 583 and 584 are appropriately selected according to the required expansion conditions, but in this embodiment, a standard type of heat-expandable material is used for heat-expandable material 583, and a low-temperature expansion type of heat-expandable material is used for heat-expandable material 584. The indoor member 390 is engaged with the outdoor member 340 and covers the indoor exposed surface of the outdoor member 340.

[0036] As shown in Figure 3, the interior meeting stile 44 comprises an aluminum exterior member 440 and a resin interior member 490. The exterior member 440 is provided with a surface material holding groove for holding the surface material 45 via a backup material and sealing material, and a heat-expandable material 593 facing the outer surface of the surface material 45 is attached to this surface material holding groove. The exterior member 440 is also provided with a smoke-return portion 441 that engages with the smoke-return portion 341 of the outer meeting frame 34, and an airtight material 70 is attached that abuts the interior surface of the exterior member 340. The type of heat-expandable material 593 is appropriately selected according to the required expansion conditions, but in this embodiment, a standard type of heat-expandable material is used. The indoor member 490 is engaged with the outdoor member 440 and covers the indoor exposed surface of the outdoor member 440.

[0037] [Included parts] The lower frame 32 of the outer sash 30 may be fitted with auxiliary components such as an auxiliary lock or a stopper. Figures 8 and 9 are vertical and horizontal cross-sectional views showing the state in which a stopper 75 is attached to the lower frame 32 as an auxiliary component. The stopper 75 is an opening limiting stopper provided to limit the opening dimensions of the outer sash 30 and the inner sash 40. The aluminum exterior member 320 of the lower frame 32 has a recessed groove 323 that is divided into a bottom portion of the glass holding groove, a front portion to which the heat-foamed material 567 is attached, and an interior surface portion 3211 of the hollow portion 321, and opens to the interior side. The resin interior member 370 of the lower frame 32 has a hollow portion 371 that is positioned in the recessed groove 323, and openings are machined into the exterior surface portion 3711 and the interior surface portion 3712 of the hollow portion 371. The stopper 75 is attached to the outdoor member 320 of the lower frame 32 via a backing plate 76. The backing plate 76 is positioned in the hollow portion 371 through an opening in the outdoor surface portion 3711 and is fixed to the indoor surface portion 3211 of the outdoor member 320 with a fastening screw 77. The stopper 75 is positioned in the hollow section 371 through an opening in the interior surface section 3712 and is fixed to the back plate 76 with screws.

[0038] Here, if an opening is formed in the hollow portion 321 of the outdoor member 320 of the lower frame 32 for positioning the stopper 75, there is a possibility that flammable gas or flames may pass through the gap between the opening and the stopper 75. Therefore, it is necessary to place the heat-expanding material in a position that can close the opening near the hollow portion 321 of the outdoor member 320, that is, inside or outside the hollow portion 321, which makes the installation of the heat-expanding material and the stopper 75 complicated. In contrast, in this embodiment, the backing plate 76 is fixed to the interior surface 3211 of the hollow portion 321 of the outdoor member 320 with screws 77, and openings are formed in the exterior surface 3711 and interior surface 3712 of the hollow portion 371 of the indoor member 370 to accommodate the stopper 75. Therefore, there is no need to place the heat-expanding material near the hollow portion 321 of the outdoor member 320, that is, inside the hollow portion 321, or outside the hollow portion 321, for example, on the interior surface of the interior surface 3211, and the stopper 75 can be easily attached. Moreover, since the stopper 75 is fixed to the aluminum outdoor member 320 via the backing plate 76, the fixing strength of the stopper 75 can also be improved. The same mounting structure can be used when attaching an auxiliary lock as an accessory part.

[0039] In such a stepped window 1, when each heat-expandable foam material reaches its expansion temperature due to the heat of a fire, each heat-expandable foam material expands to seal the space and ensure fire protection. For example, the space between the lower frame 32 and the upper surface 220 of the outer sash 30 of the upper window 2, more specifically the space partitioned by the visible surface 221, the visible piece 224, the first visible piece 225, and the exterior member 320, is filled by the expansion of heat-expandable foam material 51 and heat-expandable foam material 567. Thus, the first heat-expandable foam material is composed of heat-expandable foam material 51, and the second heat-expandable foam material is composed of heat-expandable foam material 567. Furthermore, the heat-expandable foam material 51 expands toward the exterior side, that is, toward the exterior member 320 of the lower frame 32 of the outer sash 30, and the heat-expandable foam material 567 expands toward the downward side, that is, toward the visible surface 221 of the upper surface 220 of the transom 20, so their expansion directions are different. Therefore, the volume of the heat-expanding material 51 and 567 required to seal the space can be easily calculated, and even if the expected dimensions of the outer sash 30 and inner sash 40 increase and the volume of the space increases, it can be reliably filled. The heat-expanding materials 563 and 572 attached to the upper surfaces of the upper frames 31 and 41 of the lower window 3 expand toward the lower portion 210 and fill the space between the outer sash 30, the inner sash 40 and the lower portion 210. Thus, the heat-expanding materials 563 and 572 constitute a third heat-expanding material. The heat-expanding material 52 and the heat-expanding material 53 attached to the right projection piece 2252 and the second projection piece 226 of the upper surface 220 expand toward the lower surface of the inner sash 40 and fill the space between the inner sash 40 and the upper surface 220. As a result, the heat-expanding material 52 constitutes the fourth heat-expanding material, and the heat-expanding material 53 constitutes the fifth heat-expanding material. Other heat-expanding materials also expand due to the heat during a fire, thereby ensuring fire resistance in the stepped window 1.

[0040] [Effects of the First Embodiment] In the stepped window 1 of the first embodiment, the upper surface 220 of the transom body 200 becomes the lower frame of the upper window 2, and the lower surface 210 becomes the upper frame of the lower window 3. Therefore, there is no joint between the lower frame of the upper window and the upper frame of the lower window and the transom. As a result, even if heating occurs due to a fire on the outside, deformation of the transom 20 is suppressed, maintaining structural integrity, while the temperature rise on the unheated indoor side is suppressed, preventing flames from erupting from the transom cover 260. Furthermore, melting of the outdoor surface of the transom body 200, which is the heated side, can be delayed. Therefore, the fire-resistant performance of the stepped window 1 can be improved.

[0041] Since the interior surface 240 of the aluminum transom body 200 is covered with a resin transom cover 260, the thermal insulation performance can be improved. In addition, when the outside temperature drops, the decrease in the surface temperature of the interior exposed surface of the transom 20, i.e., the transom cover 260, can be suppressed, thus improving condensation prevention performance. Furthermore, each frame other than the transom 20 is also constructed from an aluminum-resin composite material in which the indoor exposed surface of the aluminum exterior component is covered with a resin interior component or resin cover, thus improving thermal insulation and condensation prevention performance in the same way as the transom 20. Furthermore, since the outer sash 30 and inner sash 40 have frames made of aluminum-resin composite material and the facing material 35 is made of double-glazed glass, the thermal insulation performance and condensation prevention performance can be improved.

[0042] Since the first reinforcing member 71 and the second reinforcing member 72 are attached to the transom body 200 of the transom 20, the strength of the transom body 200 can be improved and deformation such as warping of the transom body 200 can be prevented. Furthermore, because the upper window 2 is a sliding window, the balance of heat absorption and dissipation of the transom body 200 differs on the left and right sides, making it prone to torsional deformation, but the first reinforcing member 71 and the second reinforcing member 72 can suppress torsional deformation. Since a pair of protrusions 229 are formed on the upper surface 220 of the transom body 200, a pocket portion for placing the heat-foamed material 51 can be formed, and the heat-foamed material 51 can be easily attached by crimping by deforming the protrusions 229. Furthermore, the heat-expanded foam material 51 is hidden by the first visible piece 225, and the heat-expanded foam material 567 is on the underside of the lower frame 32, making it difficult to see from the outside, thus improving the aesthetic appearance. Furthermore, since heat-expandable foam material 563 and heat-expandable foam material 572 are provided on the upper surfaces of the upper frames 31 and 41 of the lower window, there is no need to provide heat-expandable foam material on the lower portion 210. When heat-expandable foam material is attached to the lower portion 210, it is necessary to consider the connection with parts such as windbreak plates attached to the lower portion 210, but in this embodiment, such consideration is unnecessary, and each part can be easily attached.

[0043] [Second Embodiment] Next, the stepped window 1B of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 10 to 12. The stepped window 1B comprises an upper window 2 and a lower window 3B, positioned above and below a transom 20B. The upper window 2 is a sliding window with an outer sash 30 and an inner sash 40, as shown in Figures 10 and 11. The lower window 3B is a fixed window.

[0044] The stepped window 1B comprises a window frame 10B, an outer sash 30 and an inner sash 40 arranged within the window frame 10B, and a facing material 35B for a fixed window. The window frame 10B is constructed by framing the upper frame 11, the lower frame 12B, the left and right vertical frames 13B and 14B, and the transom 20B. Here, the upper frame 11, the upper halves of the vertical frames 13B and 14B, and the upper surface portion 220 of the transom 20B, that is, the upper window 2 portion, are the same as in the first embodiment, the outer sash 30 and inner sash 40 of the upper window 2 are also the same as in the first embodiment, and the cross-sectional view of the upper window 2 is the same as in Figure 3, so the explanation is omitted.

[0045] The lower part 280 of the transom 20B which forms the window frame of the lower window 3B, the lower halves of the left and right vertical frames 13B and 14B, and the lower frame 12B are structured to hold the facing material 35B for fixed windows. The transom 20B comprises an aluminum (metal) transom body 200B and a resin transom cover 260. The transom body 200B has a bottom surface 280, a top surface 220, an exterior surface 230, and an interior surface 240, which divide the hollow section 250. The top surface 220, the exterior surface 230, and the interior surface 240 are the same as those in the first embodiment, so their description is omitted. The lower portion 280 includes a visible surface portion 281, an outdoor glass retaining piece portion 282 extending downward from the outdoor end of the visible surface portion 281, an indoor glass retaining piece portion 283 extending downward from an intermediate position in the visible direction of the visible surface portion 281, and a cover retaining portion 284. Heat-expandable materials 511 and 512 are attached to the outdoor glass retaining piece 282 and the indoor glass retaining piece 283. The heat-expandable materials 511 and 512 are arranged so as to face each other over substantially the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the lower surface portion 280 of the outdoor glass retaining piece 282 and the indoor glass retaining piece 283. Between the exterior glass retaining piece 282 and the interior glass retaining piece 283, a facing material 35B made of double-glazed glass is held via a backup material and a sealing material.

[0046] A resin attachment 290 is attached to the lower surface portion 280. The attachment 290 comprises a main body portion 291 that engages with the lower end of the indoor-side glass retaining piece portion 283 and an angle portion 292 that engages with a groove in the cover retaining portion 284. Therefore, the portion of the lower surface portion 280 that is exposed to the indoor side is covered by the attachment 290. The transom cover 260 is positioned and screwed between the resin cover 273 attached to the top surface 220 and the angle portion 292 of the attachment 290.

[0047] The lower frame 12B comprises an aluminum lower frame body 150 and a resin attachment 160. The lower frame body 150 comprises a projection piece 151, an outdoor glass retaining piece 152 extending upward from the outdoor end of the projection piece 151, an indoor glass retaining piece 153 extending upward from an intermediate position in the projection direction of the projection piece 151, and a cover retaining piece 154. A setting block supporting the facing material 35B is arranged on the upper surface of the projection piece 151. The attachment 160 comprises a main body portion 161 that engages with the upper end of the indoor-side glass retaining piece portion 153 and an angle portion 162 that engages with the groove of the cover retaining portion 154. Therefore, the portion of the lower frame body 150 that is exposed to the indoor side is covered by the attachment 160.

[0048] The lower frame body 150 is fitted with heat-expanding materials 521, 522, and 523. Heat-expanding material 521 is attached to the lower surface of the projection piece 151, facing the hollow section 155 formed in the lower frame body 150. The hollow section 155 serves as a drainage path, and openings are formed in the projection piece 151 and the exterior surface of the hollow section 155. For this reason, the heat-expanding materials 521 are positioned at both ends of the hollow section 155 where drainage openings are formed, and are designed to expand in the event of a fire to block the drainage openings and interrupt the drainage path. The heat-expanded foaming materials 522 and 523 are arranged so as to face each other over substantially the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the lower frame body 150 at the base ends of the outdoor glass retaining piece 152 and the indoor glass retaining piece 153. The types of heat-expanding materials 521, 522, and 523 are appropriately selected according to the required expansion conditions, but in this embodiment, low-temperature expansion type heat-expanding materials 521 and 522 are used, and a standard type heat-expanding material 523 is used.

[0049] Next, referring to Figure 12, which is a cross-section of the lower window 3B, we will explain the lower halves of the vertical frames 13B and 14B. The vertical frame 13B comprises an aluminum vertical frame body 130, an aluminum outdoor attachment 810, a resin indoor attachment 820, an aluminum trim 830, and a resin indoor component 840. The vertical frame body 130 is identical to that of the first embodiment, so its description is omitted. The outdoor attachment 810 comprises a projection piece 811, an outdoor piece 812, and an indoor piece 813. A heat-expanding material 531 is attached to the surface of the projection piece 811 facing the outer peripheral surface of the facing material 35B. In the outdoor piece 812, the outer peripheral side of the projection piece 811 abuts against the outdoor facing piece of the vertical frame body 130, while the inner peripheral side of the projection piece 811 functions as an outdoor glass holding piece that holds the facing material 35B. A heat-expanding material 532 is attached to the outdoor glass holding piece of the outdoor piece 812. The types of heat-expanding materials 531 and 532 are appropriately selected according to the required expansion conditions, but in this embodiment, a standard type of heat-expanding material is used. In the interior piece 813, the outermost portion is formed in a roughly L-shape compared to the projection piece 811 and abuts against the projection surface 131. A watertight material 535 is provided on this abutment surface to ensure watertightness between the projection surface 131 and the interior piece 813. In the interior piece 813, the inner circumference is also formed in a roughly L-shape compared to the exterior piece 811. A trim piece 830 is attached to the interior side projection of the heat-foamed material 531 of the exterior piece 811 and to the inner circumference end of the interior piece 813.

[0050] The indoor attachment 820 engages with an engaging portion formed on the indoor piece 813 of the outdoor attachment 810 and with the cover retaining piece 134 of the vertical frame body 130. The indoor member 840 engages with the trim 830 and the indoor attachment 820. These resin indoor attachment 820 and indoor member 840 cover the aluminum vertical frame body 130, outdoor attachment 810, and trim 830 so that they are not exposed to the indoor side.

[0051] The vertical frame 14B comprises an aluminum vertical frame body 140, an aluminum outdoor attachment 910, a resin indoor attachment 920, an aluminum trim 930, and a resin indoor member 940. The vertical frame body 140 is identical to that of the first embodiment, so its description is omitted. The exterior attachment 910, interior attachment 920, trim 930, and interior member 940 are identical parts to the exterior attachment 810, interior attachment 820, trim 830, and interior member 840, and are arranged symmetrically. In other words, the outdoor attachment 910 is configured similarly to the outdoor attachment 810, and comprises a visible portion 911, an outdoor portion 912, and an indoor portion 913, to which heat-expandable materials 541, 542 and a watertight material 545 are attached. The trim 930, the interior attachment 920, and the interior component 940 are constructed in the same manner as the trim 830, the interior attachment 820, and the interior component 840. Therefore, the resin interior attachment 920 and interior component 940 cover the aluminum vertical frame body 140, the exterior attachment 910, and the trim 930 so that they are not exposed to the interior.

[0052] The stepped window 1B of the second embodiment also has the same configuration as the first embodiment, and therefore can achieve the same effects.

[0053] [Differentiation] The stepped window of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. That is, the upper window of the stepped window only needs to have an outer sash and an inner sash, so it is not limited to a sliding window, but may also be a single-sliding window with sash fixing parts attached to fix the inner and outer sashes so that they cannot be moved. Also, the lower window of the stepped window is not limited to a sliding window or a fixed window, but can be any type of window, such as a single-sliding window, a casement window, or a sliding window.

[0054] The type of heat-expanding material used in the stepped windows 1 and 1B can be, for example, a low-temperature expansion type heat-expanding material, a standard type heat-expanding material that is not low-temperature expansion, or a heat-expanding material made of other materials. These can be appropriately selected depending on the location where the heat-expanding material is installed. Furthermore, the material of the heat-expanding material can be epoxy-based, PVC-based, etc., and the material can be appropriately selected according to the required expansion conditions, etc., and is not particularly limited. Also, the method of attaching the heat-expanding material is not particularly limited. For example, if a pocket for the heat-expanding material is formed by processing a projection on an aluminum profile, the heat-expanding material can be placed in the pocket and attached by crimping the projection. If the heat-expanding material is to be attached to a location where no pocket is formed, etc., by a method other than crimping, the heat-expanding material can be attached directly with double-sided tape or screws, or the heat-expanding material can be attached by sandwiching it between the profile and the fitting, or the fitting with the heat-expanding material attached can be attached to the profile. In other words, the method of attaching the heat-expanding material should be an appropriate method depending on the location where the heat-expanding material is to be placed. The mounting position of the heat-expanded foam material 51 attached to the upper surface portion 220 of the transoms 20 and 20B is not limited to the visible edge portion 224, but may also be on the interior surface portion 221 or the first interior edge portion 225. Similarly, the mounting position of the heat-expanded foam material 567 attached to the lower frame 32 of the outer sash 30 is not limited to the above embodiment, and may, for example, be attached to the interior surface of the exterior member 320 facing the visible edge portion 224.

[0055] A transom only needs to consist of a hollow, one-piece metal transom body with at least an upper surface, a lower surface, and an inner surface, and a transom cover. Therefore, the transom cover may be directly attached to the transom body, and the specific configuration can be set as appropriate. In the above embodiment, the first reinforcing member 71 and the second reinforcing member 72 were attached to the transom bodies 200 and 200B, but only one of the reinforcing members may be attached. Also, if the size of the stepped windows 1 and 1B in the X-axis direction is small, or if multiple hollow sections are formed in the transom body, the reinforcing members may not be necessary, and therefore may not be provided. The structure for holding each of the facing materials 35, 35B, and 45 is not limited to using backup material or amorphous sealing material as in the embodiments described above, but may also be held using a gasket or other fixed sealing material, and a general structure for holding facing materials can be adopted.

[0056] [Summary of the present invention] The present invention relates to a stepped window having an upper window and a lower window arranged above and below a transom, wherein the upper window comprises an outer sash and an inner sash, and the transom comprises a metal transom body integrally constructed with a hollow portion, comprising an upper surface portion forming the lower frame of the upper window, a lower surface portion forming the upper frame of the lower window, and an interior surface portion, and a resin transom cover covering the interior surface portion of the transom body, and comprises a first heat-expandable material and a second heat-expandable material that expand in the event of a fire and fill the space partitioned between the lower frame of the outer sash in the closed position and the upper surface portion, wherein the first heat-expandable material is attached to the upper surface portion and the second heat-expandable material is attached to the lower frame of the outer sash. According to the present invention, in a stepped window equipped with an outer sash and an inner sash in the upper window, the transom is composed of a metal transom body and a resin transom cover. The transom body is a hollow member integrally formed with an upper surface, a lower surface, and an interior surface, and the resin transom cover covers the interior surface, thereby improving the thermal insulation and condensation prevention performance of the transom. Furthermore, the upper surface of the transom body forms the lower frame of the upper window, and the lower surface forms the upper frame of the lower window. As a result, there are no joints between the lower frame of the upper window and the upper frame of the lower window and the transom, so flames and heat from the outside cannot reach the inside from the joints, and the possibility of the transom cover igniting from flames and heat that reach the inside during a fire is also reduced, thereby improving fire resistance. Furthermore, since the lower frame of the outer sash, which is supported by the outer rail on the upper surface of the transom body, is equipped with a first heat-expandable material and a second heat-expandable material to fill the space partitioned between the lower frame and the upper surface of the outer sash, the space between the lower frame and the upper surface of the outer sash can be filled with the first and second heat-expandable materials in the event of a fire, thereby improving fire resistance. For this reason, even if the depth of each sash increases due to the improvement of thermal insulation performance by providing double-glazed glass in the outer and inner sashes, and the space between the lower frame and the upper surface of the outer sash becomes larger, the placement of the two heat-expandable materials can reliably shield that space, thereby improving thermal insulation and fire resistance.

[0057] In the stepped window of the present invention, it is preferable that the first heat-expanded material expands toward the lower frame of the outer sash, which is located on the outdoor side of the first heat-expanded material, and that the second heat-expanded material expands toward the upper surface, which is located below the second heat-expanded material. According to the present invention, since the expansion directions of the first heat-expanded material and the second heat-expanded material are different, the space can be reliably sealed in a short time. In particular, the second heat-expanded material attached to the bottom frame of the outer shoji screen expands downward toward the upper surface of the transom, so it can seal the space up to the top surface in a short time without being affected by the depth of each shoji screen. Furthermore, the first heat-expanded material attached to the upper surface of the transom expands toward the outside, so it expands toward the side of the expanded second heat-expanded material, reliably sealing the space up to the second heat-expanded material.

[0058] In the stepped window of the present invention, the upper portion comprises an outer rail for the outer sash, an inner rail for the inner sash, and a first projection portion extending outward from the inner rail, and the first heat-foamed material is preferably located below the first projection portion on the upper portion and attached to the interior side in the projection direction of the exterior end of the first projection portion. According to the present invention, the first heat-foamed material attached to the upper surface of the transom is hidden by the first visible piece, and therefore does not come into contact with the upper surface of the transom, thus improving the aesthetic appearance.

[0059] In the stepped window of the present invention, the lower window comprises an outer sash and an inner sash, and it is preferable that a third heat-expanded foaming material is attached to the upper surface of the upper frame of the outer sash of the lower window and the upper frame of the inner sash of the lower window, respectively, while no heat-expanded foaming material is attached to the lower surface. According to the present invention, when an outer sash and an inner sash are provided in the lower window, the third heat-expandable material is attached to the upper surface of the upper frame of each outer and inner sash. In the event of a fire, the gap between the lower part of the transom and the upper frame of each sash can be sealed with the third heat-expandable material, thereby improving fire resistance. Furthermore, since the third heat-expandable material is attached to the upper surface of the upper frame, there is no need to attach heat-expandable material to the lower part of the transom. The lower part of the transom, that is, the upper frame of the lower window, requires the attachment of multiple parts such as a windbreak plate, a sash stopper, a sash stopper, and a crescent stopper. It is difficult to attach heat-expandable material continuously along almost the entire length of the lower part in the longitudinal direction, and the productivity of the stepped window is reduced. However, in the present invention, there is no need to attach heat-expandable material to the lower part of the transom, so the productivity of the stepped window can also be improved.

[0060] In the stepped window of the present invention, the upper portion preferably includes an outer rail for the outer sash, an inner rail for the inner sash, a first visible portion extending outward from the inner rail, and a second visible portion extending inward from the inner rail. In the first visible portion and the second visible portion, a first resin cover and a second resin cover are attached to the indoor exposed portions that are exposed to the indoor space when the outer sash and the inner sash are in the closed position, respectively. In the first visible portion, an airtight material that abuts against the outer sash is held at the tip facing the indoor surface of the outer sash in the closed position, a fourth heat-expanded material is attached to the upper surface that overlaps with the inner sash in the closed position in a plan view, and in the second visible portion, a fifth heat-expanded material is attached to the upper surface that overlaps with the inner sash in the closed position in a plan view. According to the present invention, a first visible piece extending from the inner rail toward the exterior and a second visible piece extending toward the interior are provided, and a fourth heat-expandable material and a fifth heat-expandable material are attached to the upper surface that overlaps with the inner sash in a plan view when it is in the closed position. In the event of a fire, the gap between the upper surface of the transom and the lower surface of the inner sash can be sealed with the fourth heat-expandable material and the fifth heat-expandable material, thereby improving fire resistance. Furthermore, since the first and second visible sections are fitted with the first and second resin covers on the parts exposed to the interior space, the metal first and second visible sections are not exposed to the interior space, thereby improving thermal insulation and condensation prevention performance. Furthermore, in the first visible section, an airtight material is held at the tip facing the interior surface of the outer sash, and this airtight material is in contact with the outer sash. This allows for an equal-pressure watertight structure to be realized at the upper surface of the transom of the stepped window, thereby improving watertight performance.

[0061] In the stepped window of the present invention, the lower frame of the outer sash preferably comprises a metal exterior member and a resin interior member, and the second heat-foamed material is preferably attached to the lower surface of the exterior member. According to the present invention, since the second heat-foamed material is attached to the lower surface of the exterior member of the lower frame, it is not exposed to the exterior or interior surfaces of the outer sash, thereby improving the aesthetic appearance.

[0062] In the stepped window of the present invention, the lower frame of the outer sash comprises a metal exterior member and a resin interior member disposed on the interior side of the exterior member, wherein the exterior member has a hollow portion, an accessory is fixed to the interior surface of the hollow portion of the exterior member with a fastening member, no heat-expanded material is disposed near the hollow portion of the exterior member, and the interior member preferably has an opening in which the accessory is disposed. According to the present invention, auxiliary components such as auxiliary locks and stoppers that limit the opening dimensions of sliding doors are fixed to the interior surface of the exterior component with fasteners such as screws and rivets, and the auxiliary components themselves are placed in the opening of the interior component. Therefore, there is no need to process an opening in the hollow part of the exterior component to accommodate the auxiliary components. As a result, there is no need to place heat-expanded foam material near the hollow part, improving assembly workability. In addition, although the auxiliary components are placed in the opening of the resin interior component, they are fixed to the metal exterior component with fasteners, thus improving the fixing strength.

[0063] In the stepped window of the present invention, it is preferable that a first reinforcing member is placed in the hollow portion of the transom body, a second reinforcing member is placed on the interior side of the interior surface of the transom body, and that the first and second reinforcing members are fixed to the interior surface of the transom body. According to the present invention, since the first and second reinforcing members are positioned on either side of the interior surface of the transom body, the strength of the transom body can be improved and twisting deformation of the transom body can be prevented. Furthermore, since the first and second reinforcing members can be fixed to the interior surface with screws or the like, the ease of installation can also be improved. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1, 1B... Step window, 2... Upper window, 3... Lower window, 3B... Lower window, 10, 10B... Window frame, 11... Upper frame, 12... Lower frame, 12B... Lower frame, 13, 13B, 14, 14B... Vertical frame, 20, 20B... Transom, 30... Outer shoji screen, 31... Upper frame, 32... Lower frame, 33... Door frame, 34... Outer meeting frame, 35, 35B... Panel material, 40... Inner shoji screen, 41... Upper frame, 42 ...Bottom frame, 43...Door frame, 44...Inner meeting frame, 45...Face material, 51, 52, 53...Heat-expanded foam material, 63...Airtight material, 71...First reinforcing material, 72...Second reinforcing material, 75...Stopper, 76...Backing plate, 77...Screw, 110...Upper frame body, 120...Lower frame body, 122...Outer rail, 123...Inner rail, 124...Face piece, 125...First face 126...Second visible part, 130, 140...Vertical frame body, 150...Bottom frame body, 155...Hollow part, 160...Attachment, 180, 190...Resin cover, 200, 200B...Transom body, 210...Bottom part, 220...Top part, 222...Outer rail, 223...Inner rail, 224...Face piece, 225...First visible One side, 226... Second visible side, 230... Exterior side, 240... Interior side, 250... Hollow section, 260... Transom cover, 261, 262, 271, 272, 273... Resin cover, 280... Bottom section, 320... Exterior component, 321, 322... Hollow section, 370... Interior component, 371... Hollow section, 563, 567, 572... Heat-expanded foam material.

Claims

1. A stepped window having an upper window and a lower window arranged vertically above and below the transom, The aforementioned upper window is equipped with an outer sash and an inner sash, The aforementioned nominal, A metal transom body is integrally constructed having a hollow section and comprising an upper surface that forms the lower frame of the upper window, a lower surface that forms the upper frame of the lower window, and an interior surface, It comprises a resin transom cover that covers the interior surface of the transom body, The system includes a first heat-expandable material and a second heat-expandable material that expand in the event of a fire and fill the space partitioned between the lower frame of the outer sliding door in the closed position and the upper surface, The first heat-foaming material is attached to the upper surface portion, The second heat-expanded material is attached to the lower frame of the outer sliding door. A stepped window characterized by the following features.

2. In the stepped window described in claim 1, The first heat-expanded material expands toward the lower frame of the outer sliding door, which is located on the outdoor side of the first heat-expanded material. The second heat-foaming material expands toward the upper surface portion located below the second heat-foaming material. A stepped window characterized by the following features.

3. In the stepped window described in claim 1, The upper portion comprises an outer rail for the outer sash, an inner rail for the inner sash, and a first visible piece extending outward from the inner rail. The first heat-foaming material is located below the first projection piece on its upper surface and is attached to the interior side in the projection direction of the first projection piece, relative to the exterior end of the first projection piece. A stepped window characterized by the following features.

4. In the stepped window described in claim 1, The aforementioned lower window is equipped with an outer sash and an inner sash, A third heat-expanded foam material is attached to the upper surface of the upper frame of the outer sash of the lower window and the upper frame of the inner sash of the lower window, respectively. No heat-expanding material is attached to the aforementioned lower surface. A stepped window characterized by the following features.

5. In the stepped window described in claim 1, The aforementioned upper portion is, The outer rail for the outer sliding door, The inner rail for the inner sliding door, A first visible piece extending outward from the inner rail, It has a second visible piece that extends inward from the inner rail, In the first and second visible sections, a first resin cover and a second resin cover are attached to the indoor exposed portions that are exposed to the indoor space when the outer and inner sashes are in the closed position. In the first visible portion, a sealing material is held at the tip of the outer sash facing the interior surface of the outer sash in the closed position, and a fourth heat-expanded material is attached to the upper surface that overlaps with the inner sash in the closed position in a plan view. In the second visible portion, a fifth heat-expanded foaming material is attached to the upper surface that overlaps with the inner sash in the closed position in a plan view. A stepped window characterized by the following features.

6. In the stepped window described in claim 1, The lower frame of the aforementioned outer sliding door comprises a metal exterior member and a resin interior member. The second heat-expanding material is attached to the lower surface of the outdoor member. A stepped window characterized by the following features.

7. In the stepped window described in claim 1, The lower frame of the outer sliding door comprises a metal exterior member and a resin interior member positioned on the interior side of the exterior member. The aforementioned outdoor member has a hollow portion, The attached component is fixed to the interior surface of the hollow portion of the exterior member with a fastening member. No heat-expanding material is placed near the hollow portion of the aforementioned outdoor member. The interior member has an opening formed therein where the accessory parts are placed. A stepped window characterized by the following features.

8. In the stepped window described in claim 1, A first reinforcing member is placed in the hollow portion of the aforementioned transom body. A second reinforcing member is placed on the interior side of the interior surface of the transom body. The first reinforcing member and the second reinforcing member are fixed to the interior surface of the transom body. A stepped window characterized by the following features.

Images