Flexible or portable closure – partition – or panel – With hood – canopy – shield storage chamber – or outrigged... – For roll type
Utility Patent
1999-09-01
2001-01-02
Purol, David M. (Department: 3634)
Flexible or portable closure, partition, or panel
With hood, canopy, shield storage chamber, or outrigged...
For roll type
C160S100000
Utility Patent
active
06167936
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is related to the building construction industry and more particularly to the field of windows for residential and commercial buildings.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Over the years, various types of screens for windows have been developed. These screens conventionally have been generally rectangular in shape, have a screen frame to which screen or mesh material is mounted or secured, and have latches or other fasteners which secure the screen frame within a window frame. These conventional screens often mount to screen tracks which are separately mounted either to the window frame or to the window itself. The latches are opened to raise or lower the screens, usually after the window has been opened. Problems have arisen with these conventional screens in that these type having rectangular frames often get damaged during the construction of a residential or commercial building, require a good deal of extra time and expense for installation, and require extensive time to clean and care for due to its constant exposure to elements to which a window is exposed, e.g., dirt, weather conditions, and pests.
Also, in attempts to solve some of these problems, rolling screen assemblies have been developed for double hung and casement windows which allow a screen to be rolled on a roll assembly or mechanism which attempts to allow the screens to only be placed in position or extended when the window is open. Examples of such rolling screen assemblies can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,261,443 by McGaw titled “Screen,” U.S. Pat. No. 2,514,438 by Bardega titled “Combined Sash And Screen,” U.S. Pat. No. 2,605,823 by Lockhart titled “Roller Screen,” and U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,297 by Van Klompenburg titled “Field Installable Rolling Screen Assembly.” A screen of a rolled screen assembly, for example, is less likely to be damaged during new construction because the screen remains on a roll. These conventional rolled screen assemblies, however, also have problems. For example, these screens are usually mounted to an inner or outer ledge of the window sill. These mounting schemes can be cumbersome and unsightly which, in turn, makes the rolled screen assemblies much less desirable by residential and commercial customers. Additionally, separate guide tracks are usually required to guide a rolled screen during raising and lowering or opening and closing of a window. Further, the construction of the window often has to be changed drastically to accommodate such a screen making such a screen less desirable for window manufacturers which are now required to manufacture a custom window and for construction personnel who have to install what is now a special custom window.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, the present invention provides a window assembly having a rolled window screen assembly and associated methods which tracks or follows the window tracks of a conventional double-hung window design. The present invention also advantageously provides a window assembly having a rolled window screen assembly and associated methods which still address or solve the problems associated with the conventional rectangular window screens as set forth above. The present invention additionally advantageously provides a rolled window screen assembly and associated methods which allows window assembly manufacturers to make only minor changes to only small portions of the framing of a conventional double-hung window assembly to accommodate the rolled screen and which allows construction personnel to follow substantially the same installation procedures for installation as conventional double-hung window assemblies. The present invention further advantageously provides a rolled window screen assembly which is more aesthetically pleasing to users of windows in residential and commercial buildings.
More particularly, the present invention provides a window assembly having a window frame which includes an end frame member having a cavity formed therein, a cover member overlying the cavity, and an elongate opening formed in the cover member and overlying the cavity. The window assembly also has at least a pair of spaced-apart window guide tracks connected to the window frame for guiding the opening and closing of a window and at least one window mounted to the at least a pair of spaced-apart window guide tracks and being slidably movable along the guide tracks to an open position wherein end peripheries of the window are spaced apart from the lower frame member and a closed position wherein the end peripheries of the window abuttingly contact the end frame member. The window assembly further has a rolling screen assembly positioned in the cavity of the end frame member. The rolling screen assembly preferably has a roller mounted within the cavity and a rolled screen mounted to the roller so that the screen extends and retracts on the roller. The rolled screen is also mounted to the at least one window so that the rolled screen extends and retracts through the opening in the cover member and is guided into position by the pair of window guide tracks.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the window assembly is preferably a double-hung window assembly which includes a window frame having a substantially rectangular shape. The window frame preferably has a pair of spaced-apart side frame members, an upper end frame member connected to the pair of side frame members along end portions thereof, and a lower end frame member connected to the pair of side frame members along end portions thereof. The lower end frame member has an elongate cavity formed therein extending substantially the length of the lower end frame member, a cover member overlying the cavity, and an elongate opening formed in the cover member. The double-hung window assembly also has at least two pairs of window guide tracks. Each pair is positioned so that each guide track of the pair is connected to a respective one of the side frame members and positioned spaced-apart from the other guide track of the pair for guiding the opening and closing of at least two double hung windows. At least a pair of windows are each respectively mounted to and positioned between at least one of the at least two pair of window guide tracks and being slidably movable along the guide tracks. One of the pair of windows is preferably mounted to be slidably movable to an open position wherein lower peripheries of the window are spaced apart from the lower end frame member and a closed position wherein lower peripheries of the window abuttingly contact the lower end frame member so that the one window defines a lower window when in a closed position. Another one of the pair of windows is mounted to be slidably movable to an open position wherein upper peripheries of the window are spaced apart from the upper end frame member and a closed position wherein upper peripheries of the window abuttingly contact the upper end frame member so that the other one of the pair of windows defines an upper window when in the closed position. A rolling screen assembly is positioned in the cavity of the lower end frame member. The rolling screen assembly has a roller mounted within the cavity and a rolled screen mounted to the roller so that the screen extends and retracts on the roller. The rolled screen is also connected to the lower window so that the rolled screen extends and retracts through the elongate opening in the cover member and is guided into position by the pair of window guide tracks.
The present invention also provides a method of using a window having a rolling screen connected thereto. The method preferably includes moving, e.g., sliding, a window along a pair of spaced-apart, window guide tracks. The pair of window guide tracks are mounted to a window frame. The method also includes moving a rolled screen connected to the window along the same pair of guide tracks to extend and retracted positions during movement of the window. The method can also include the rolled screen being mounted within an end member of the windo
Ballard Dwight L.
Stover Jeffrey W.
Allen Dyer Doppelt Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A.
Purol David M.
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