US-12618273-B1 - Protected window opening control device assemblies and methods

US12618273B1US 12618273 B1US12618273 B1US 12618273B1US-12618273-B1

Abstract

Window opening control device assemblies including a sash restrictor and a restrictor cover, fenestration units including the window opening control device assemblies, and related methods. A restrictor cover is provided to substantially enclose the sash restrictor such that the sash restrictor is protected during shipping and installation of fenestration units using the sash restrictors.

Inventors

Ryan Mohs
Gary Hoffbeck
David RUNK

Assignees

ANDERSEN CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20241008

Claims (13)

1 . A window opening control device assembly comprising: a sash restrictor configured for attachment to a fenestration unit, wherein the sash restrictor comprises a mounting tab extending from a restrictor body and an arm attached to the restrictor body, wherein the arm is movable between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, wherein a terminal end of the arm moves into alignment with the restrictor body and the mounting tab when moving from the extended configuration to the retracted configuration and wherein the terminal end of the arm moves away from alignment with the restrictor body and the mounting tab when moving from the retracted configuration to the extended configuration; and a restrictor cover comprising a front shell and a back shell attached to each other along a hinge, wherein the front shell comprises a front shell free edge located opposite the hinge and the back shell comprises a back shell free edge located opposite the hinge, wherein the front shell and the back shell are configured to rotate relative to each other about the hinge, wherein the front shell and the back shell define a cavity between the front shell and the back shell when the restrictor cover is in a closed configuration in which the front shell free edge and the back shell free edge are located adjacent each other, and wherein the restrictor body and arm are contained in the cavity when the restrictor cover is in the closed configuration.
2 . The window opening control device assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the sash restrictor comprises an adhesive tape strip attached to the restrictor body and the arm, the adhesive tape strip configured to retain the arm in the retracted configuration before the retractor body is placed in the cavity.
3 . The window opening control device assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cavity is located between the hinge and the front shell free edge when the restrictor cover is in the closed configuration.
4 . The window opening control device assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the front shell and the back shell comprise one or more interfering closure tab assemblies, wherein the one or more interfering closure tab assemblies are configured to retain the restrictor cover in the closed configuration.
5 . The window opening control device assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting tab extends away from the cavity such that, when the restrictor body is contained in the cavity and the restrictor cover is in the closed configuration, the mounting tab extends from the restrictor cover such that the mounting tab is configured to mount directly to a frame member of a fenestration unit while the restrictor body is contained in the cavity and the restrictor cover is in the closed configuration.
6 . The window opening control device assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the restrictor cover comprises a label well located between the cavity and the hinge, the label comprising a depression formed in at least one of the front shell and the back shell.
7 . A fenestration unit comprising the window opening control device assembly according to claim 1 attached to the fenestration unit, wherein the mounting tab of the sash restrictor is directly attached to a frame member of the fenestration unit, and wherein the restrictor body is in the cavity and the restrictor cover is in the closed configuration.
8 . The fenestration unit according to claim 7 , wherein the sash restrictor comprises an adhesive tape strip attached to the restrictor body and the arm, the adhesive tape strip configured to retain the arm in the retracted configuration after restrictor cover is removed from the sash retractor.
9 . The fenestration unit according to claim 7 , wherein the front shell and the back shell comprise one or more interfering closure tab assemblies, wherein the one or more interfering closure tab assemblies are configured to retain the restrictor cover in the closed configuration.
10 . The fenestration unit according to claim 7 , wherein the mounting tab extends from the restrictor cover.
11 . A method of installing a sash restrictor on a fenestration unit, the method comprising: providing the window opening control device assembly according to claim 1 with the restrictor body in the cavity and the restrictor cover in the closed configuration; and attaching the mounting tab of the sash restrictor to a frame member of a fenestration unit while the restrictor body is contained within the cavity of the restrictor cover.
12 . The method according to claim 11 , the method comprising removing the restrictor cover from the sash restrictor after attaching the mounting tab to the frame member, wherein the mounting tab remains attached to the frame member while removing the restrictor cover.
13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the sash restrictor comprises an adhesive tape strip attached to the restrictor body and the arm, and wherein the method comprises removing the adhesive tape strip after removing the restrictor cover from the sash restrictor.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/543,165 filed on Oct. 9, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Window opening control device assemblies including a sash restrictor and a restrictor cover, fenestration units including the window opening control device assemblies, and related methods are described herein. Windows having one or more movable sashes in a frame are commonly referred to as single hung windows (in which a movable sash and a fixed sash are contained in a frame and the movable sash moves vertically within the frame), double hung windows (in which two movable sashes are arranged vertically relative to each other and both sashes can move vertically within the frame) and sliding windows (in which one or more movable sashes move horizontally within a frame). Because at least one sash can move within the frames of these windows, it may be desirable to limit the degree or amount of unrestricted opening in the interest of safety. Devices commonly referred to as “window opening control devices” or “vent stops” may be provided to limit the degree or amount of unrestricted opening. Window opening control devices are often flush mounted on a sash stile, sash rail, or a window frame member. The window opening control devices are typically positioned to allow for full range of movement of a sash when desired. When needed, however, an arm of the window opening control device protrudes from the surface in which the device is installed to limit the movement of a sash to a set travel distance based on the location of the window opening control device. SUMMARY Window opening control device assemblies including a sash restrictor and a restrictor cover, fenestration units including the window opening control device assemblies, and related methods are described herein. In one or more embodiments of the window opening control device assemblies described herein, a restrictor cover is provided to substantially enclose the sash restrictor such that the sash restrictor is protected during shipping and installation of fenestration units using the sash restrictors. Although sash restrictors can be installed on a fenestration unit at any time including during manufacturing, sash restrictors installed on fenestration units during manufacturing may be prone to malfunction due to the intrusion of dust and other construction debris (e.g. drywall dust, etc.) into the internal parts of the sash restrictors. The restrictor covers of the window opening control device assemblies described herein substantially reduce or prevent the intrusion of dust and other debris into the internal parts of sash restrictors on which the restrictor covers are located. As a result, the sash restrictors in the window opening control device assemblies described herein can be attached to fenestration units during manufacturing. Potential advantages of attaching the sash restrictors to fenestration units during manufacturing include, but are not limited to, accurate placement of the sash restrictors, ensuring sash restrictors are in place on fenestration units, etc. In one or more embodiments, the restrictor covers of the window opening control device assemblies described herein can be removed without disturbing attachment of the sash restrictors to the fenestration units on which they are installed. In other words, the restrictor covers can be removed while the sash restrictors remain attached to the fenestration units. The restrictor covers in one or more embodiments of the window opening control device assemblies described herein may also assist in holding the arm of the sash restrictor in a retracted configuration so that movement of a sash within a fenestration unit frame is not restricted by the sash restrictor. In a first aspect, one or more embodiments of a window opening control device assembly as described herein may include: a sash restrictor configured for attachment to a fenestration unit, wherein the sash restrictor comprises a mounting tab extending from a restrictor body and an arm attached to the restrictor body, wherein the arm is movable between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, wherein a terminal end of the arm moves into alignment with the restrictor body and the mounting tab when moving from the extended configuration to the retracted configuration and wherein the terminal end of the arm moves away from alignment with the restrictor body and the mounting tab when moving from the retracted configuration to the extended configuration; and a restrictor cover comprising a front shell and a back shell attached to each other along a hinge, wherein the front shell comprises a front shell free edge located opposite the hinge and the back shell comprises a back shell free edge located opposite the hinge, wherein the front shell and the back shell are configured to rotate relative to each other about