Flexible or portable closure – partition – or panel – Roll type – With fabric leading edge fastening means
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-09
2002-12-10
Johnson, Blair M. (Department: 3634)
Flexible or portable closure, partition, or panel
Roll type
With fabric leading edge fastening means
C160S276000, C292SDIG004
Reexamination Certificate
active
06491086
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The aim of this invention is a mechanism for the quick hooking and unhooking of a handle, used particularly for fly screens and fly screen assemblies made with this system.
The invention has particular, but not necessarily exclusive, application in the fixture accessories sector, such as fly screens, roller blinds and sun blinds.
2. Description of Related Art
Fly screens are divided into two categories. The first type is made to measure, manufactured according to the dimensions required for a given client, delivered to the said client and installed by a specialized installation technician. The other type is sold in kit form, and is the type that is most widely available on the market.
The latter type of fly screen is reasonably efficient and economic and is the type at which this invention is mainly aimed. Large quantities of components have to be fabricated and transported by the manufacturing companies, especially when dealing with overseas markets. The “do-it-yourself” concept is widely used and offers a product that satisfies most normal requirements, although it is not up to the standards of the made-to-measure type.
Both of the examples mentioned have certain components in common, such as the casing, which is generally made from extruded aluminum bar. It is used to contain the rewind mechanism for the fly screen, roller blind or sun blind, and the manual version has a corresponding loaded return spring. The ends of the casing are sealed by special plates or headers, which are supplied in two different versions, a fixed type or together with counter-plates or caps that can be regulated.
There are obviously a number of variations, although they are very similar to the systems described, and are just as common in fly screens as in roller blinds and sun blinds. One of these variations is a lower quality fly screen without the aforementioned return spring inside its mechanism. They differ from the first type in that they are manually operated both for unwinding and rewinding the fly screen. In this case, there is a closed-loop chain that hooks around a cog fixed on the relative rewind roll contained inside a casing for unwinding and rewinding the fly screen, roller blind or sun blind in a controlled manner.
These solutions foresee the fabrication of structures, for example fly screens, which are made up as follows:
a casing that is closed at the ends by corresponding headers;
a rewind roll contained inside the said casing, supported at both ends, that is fixed to the ends of the casing;
a helicoidal torsion spring positioned co-axially, that works in conjunction with the said rewind roll;
a rod positioned co-axially to the said helicoidal spring;
a piece of material or cloth, either net type or for shading purposes, joined at one end to the rewind roll, and at the other end to a handle;
and, two runners in which the two ends of the said handle and the edges of the said material or cloth slide.
Especially with the type that has the rewind roll controlled by the closed-loop chain mechanism, certain drawbacks have been encountered. They are due to the fact that the material or cloth is only held tight by the handle which is weighted. As a result, this type of structure has no means that acts upon the handle to counteract pressure exerted on the surface of the material or cloth. In fact, if the material or cloth is subjected to pressure on the surface, due to winds or a part of the body accidentally pushing against it, it is deformed according to the amount of pressure exerted, with the handle that is lifted proportionally to the said deformation of the material or cloth. This deformation, which is usually unstable, produces a phenomenon that is known as “sail effect” and which is the main cause of the aforementioned drawbacks.
Firstly, the efficiency of the material or cloth may be compromised because, especially with the cheaper fly screens, the lateral edges tend to come out of the runners to leave openings through which insects or light may pass.
Secondly, because of the continuous effect of the wind which blows in various directions, the fly screen may be noisy, an effect that is increased by the sudden rubbing of the metallic components, due to the back and forth movement or the lateral play of the handle inside its relative runners.
To overcome these and other drawbacks, some consumers choose fly screens with two battens that slide horizontally rather than vertically. In this case, the material or cloth is wound by pulling the handle in one direction, and fixing it in position when it reaches its limit with vertically mobile fasteners, the ends of which go inside corresponding seats, usually positioned on the vertical runner. Since this type of fly screen has two battens, both purchase price and installation costs are higher. This is because two casings are usually required, each one positioned along the two sides in order to fit out the two spaces. A large part of the cost, according to the individual supplier, depends on the type of structure used which, operating in a different direction compared with traditional methods, requires complex manufacturing operations.
A fly screen known as Genius was recently put on the market, which was designed to overcome the aforementioned problems. It is particularly used for horizontal fly screens, with the movement of the rewind roll imposed by manual traction of a closed-loop chain. This type of fly screen structure, used for doors with a large inter-axis, is made up basically of:
a casing containing a rewind roll which is pre-charged by means of at least one torsion spring;
a screen fastened at one end to the rewind roll, with a handle at the other end;
runners in which the ends of the handle slide;
and, a handle, the ends of which have holding means on the lower side that fit inside the runners.
The user, when unwinding the screen, pulls the closed-loop chain in one direction to carry out the lowering of the screen, until its respective handle reaches the limit at the base of the opening in question. When this position has been reached, in order to fasten the handle and, therefore, the screen in a stretched position, the user carries out a further pull so that the handle, made out of a rectangular tubular profile, rotates and inclines slightly on one side. In this position, pieces that protrude from the two ends of the handle intercept dedicated seats formed on the lower side of the runners, forcing the pieces to take up a certain position. At this point, the user releases the closed-loop chain so that the screen, which is under tension, pulls the handle upwards to force it from a slightly inclined position into a vertical position, forcing the pieces into corresponding recesses with stop points.
In order to release the handle and rewind the screen, the structure has a type of pedal along the handle. The purpose of this pedal, which is located in a central position, is to co-operate with the action applied to the closed-loop chain when it is pushed by the user. In particular, the user has to apply a slight pull downward on the chain with one hand in order to move the screen, while pressing the pedal with a foot. The pressure applied in this way on the pedal obliges the handle to rotate on one side, releasing it from its holding point and, since it is now free, may be rewound due to elastic pull.
The drawbacks regard the complicated manoeuvre that the user has to carry out to release the handle so that the screen can be rewound, especially with fittings with a large inter-axis, for example the type with a double batten.
This manoeuvre requires co-ordination and simultaneous use of a hand and a foot, which not everybody is able to do. The manoeuvre requires the lifting of a leg, which is only possible if the person is not disabled and the distance is short. When the fitting is larger, on the other hand, the user has to almost be a contortionist, and it is certainly not possible for everybody to carry out this kind of manoeuvre, since it is difficult to reach the pedal with a foo
Bettio Denis
Bettio Loris
Bettio Group SRL
Harrison & Egbert
Johnson Blair M.
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