Casement window operators have traditionally featured a handle that protrudes from an operator assembly to allow the handle to be cranked or rotated to open and close a window. Such handles have previously protruded from the window or, more recently, been collapsible. Such traditional designs and even the more recent collapsible designs are typically not aesthetically pleasing, interfere with some window covering installations and often include surfaces that are prone to dust collection. Specifically, these casement operators typically have grooves or uneven surfaces proximate the crank handle or in other portions of the casement window operator housing where dust and dirt may accumulate. These grooves and uneven surfaces are also considered unattractive by many consumers.
A handle protruding or exposed from a window and from a casement operator is typically not aesthetically pleasing to consumers, particularly if the handle or associated hardware clashes with the overall interior design of the room, and is typically difficult to clean. These problems are of personal preference and general ease of cleaning. In addition, design and practical concerns relating to the traditional and more recent casement operators include the difficulty of changing the appearance, for example, by repainting a casement operator assembly to match the decor of a room, which is difficult to do with the complex shapes of the traditional and more modern casement operators and, once installed, such complex-shaped casement operators and handles are difficult to adapt to changes in room decor, such as a change in color. Such situations are undesirable to consumers.
With many known window covering installations, particularly designs where the window covering pulls down over the window, a protruding handle may generate inconveniences. For example, a protruding handle often leads to scenarios where the window operator gets in the way of the window covering, causing the window covering to either get caught on the handle or form an unsightly bulge in the window covering. That is, in a closed or hanging position, the window covering interferes with the casement operator or its crank handle creating an unsightly bulge in the covering. The handle may even damage the window covering in certain situations. Many consumers find these features of the casement operator undesirable.
Certain, more modern casement operators may be collapsible to reduce occurrences of interference with a window hanging. These more modern, collapsible casement operators often have cleanliness drawbacks. The nested handle design of some known window casement operators leads to scenarios where dust and dirt collects in the nested edges of the housing. These nested edges are also often considered unsightly by consumers.
Given these drawbacks and undesirable side-effects on window coverings of traditional casement window operators, a solution is needed that will address these issues and more. The casement window operator with movable cover is designed and constructed to address the above-described issues of traditional or even more modern nestable window casement operators as well as to provide improvements in the field.
Briefly stated, the present application is directed to a casement operator for opening and closing a window including a housing, a cover moveably mounted to the housing and a crank assembly mounted to the housing. The cover is movable between a closed position and an open position. The cover and housing define a storage cavity when the cover is in the closed position. The crank assembly includes a crank handle and a gear mounted to the crank handle. The crank handle is pivotable relative to the gear. The crank handle and the gear are rotatable about an operation axis relative to the housing. The crank handle is movable between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the gear. The crank handle is enclosed within the storage cavity in a storage configuration.
In another aspect, the present application is directed to a casement operator for manipulating a window including a housing, a cover moveably mounted to the housing, a crank handle mounted to the housing, a gear rotatably mounted to the housing, a biasing member and a securing plug. The crank handle is pivotable between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the housing. The crank handle has a grasping end, a base end, a bore proximate the base end and a longitudinal axis. The gear includes a first detent and a second detent. The biasing member is mounted within the bore and the securing plug is mounted at least partially within the bore. The biasing member biases the securing plug toward the gear along the longitudinal axis. The securing plug is located in the first detent when the crank handle is in the retraced position and is located in the second detent when the crank handle is in the extended position to releasably secure the crank handle in the retracted position or the extended position.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiment of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings an embodiment which is presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:
Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “right”, “left”, “lower” and “upper” designate directions toward and way from, respectively, the geometric center of the casement operator and designated parts thereof. The terminology includes the above-listed words, derivatives thereof and words of similar import.
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The cover 1 preferably includes a pair of inverted hemispheres 4 located on an inside surface and the housing 2 preferably includes a pair of protruding hemispheres 3 located on an external surface. The inverted hemispheres 4 and protruding hemispheres 3 are located on the door axis 1a in the assembled configuration. The inverted hemispheres 4 receive the protruding hemispheres 3 therein such that the door 1 is pivotable about the door axis 1a to selectively cover or expose at least a portion of the housing 2. The cover 1 is not limited to inclusion of the inverted hemispheres 4 and the housing 2 is not limited to inclusion of the protruding hemispheres 3 to rotatably mount the cover 1 to the housing 2. For example, the cover 1 may be hingedly mounted or otherwise pivotably mounted to the housing 2 in nearly any manner, utilizing nearly any structure that permits pivotable movement of the cover 1 relative to the housing 2 and such pivotable constructions are generally apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art. In addition, the cover 1 is not limited to being pivotable relative to the housing 2 and may be slidable or otherwise movable relative to the housing 2.
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The cover 1 may include a lock (not shown) for locking the cover 1 to the housing 2 in the closed position. The ability to lock the cover 1 in the closed position may be employed for security reasons in a home or a commercial setting (hotel). The lock may be of nearly any type that permits locking of the cover 1 to the housing 2 in the closed position and is typically of the type that is well known to one having ordinary skill in the art. The casement operator 30 is not limited to the inclusion of the lock, but may include the lock for safety or security reasons, as would be apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the present disclosure. Accordingly, in a hotel environment, the cover 1 may be locked to the housing 2 in the closed position to prevent guests from opening or otherwise manipulating the window 29 for safety or security reasons.
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In the preferred embodiment, the gear 5 is comprised of a worm gear 5 constructed of a tempered steel and includes a standard worm gear spiral thread 16. A spring (not shown) is preferably placed on a flat shoulder edge 17 and a fixing screw (not shown) is preferably placed on top of the spring in an assembled configuration. The worm gear 5 preferably includes a gear end 5a and a handle end 5b. The gear end 5a of the worm gear 5 rotatably connects to the housing 2 for rotation of the worm gear 5 about the operation axis 26. The handle end 5b of the worm gear 5 preferably includes an opening 19 in flat faces 41 to permit a fastener 11 to pivotably connect the crank handle 8 to the worm gear 5. A flat edge 18 is located on the worm gear 5 proximate the flat faces 41 and preferably meets the flat shoulder edge 17. The worm gear 5 is preferably threaded in a slot 2a in the housing 2 within which the gear end 5a rotates in the assembled configuration.
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The gear 5 preferably includes a first detent 5c and a second detent 5d, which are both located at a peripheral edge of the gear 5 proximate the handle end 5b. The first and second detents 5c, 5d are preferably arcuate-shaped for receipt of the securing plug 34 therein. Specifically, the securing plug 34 is preferably comprised of a detent sphere 34 that is slideable in and out of the first and second detents 5c, 5d to releasably secure the crank handle 8 in the retracted or extended positions, respectively. In addition, the biasing member 33 is preferably comprised of a coil spring 33 that biases the detent sphere 34 toward the handle end 5b of the gear 5 in the assembled configuration. The coil spring 34 is preferably configured and constructed such that the detent sphere 34 may be moved in and out of the first and second detents 5c, 5d on the worm gear 5 for releasably securing the crank handle 8 in the retracted and extended position, respectively. The casement operator 30 is not limited to inclusion of the detent spring 33, the detent sphere 34 and the first and second detents 5c, 5d to releasably secure the crank handle 8 in the retracted and extended positions and may be comprised of nearly any securing mechanism, such as hook and loop material, clamps, fasteners, a set screw or other mechanisms that permit releasable securing of the crank handle 8 in the extended and retracted positions. However, the detent spring 33, detent sphere 34 and first and second detents 5c, 5d are relatively simple mechanical structures that releasably secure the crank handle 8 in the retracted and extended positions.
In the preferred embodiment, the detent sphere 34 is located in the first detent 5c when the crank handle 8 is positioned in the retracted position and is located in the second detent 5d when the crank handle 8 is positioned in the extended position. The casement operator 30 is not limited to inclusion of only the first and second detents 5c, 5d and may include several additional detents, no detents or a single detent, depending upon the preferred positions of the crank handle 8 relative to the worm gear 5 and/or the particular requirements of the casement operator 30. However, the first and second detents 5c, 5d are preferred to releasably secure the crank handle 8 in the preferred extended and retracted positions for operation of the casement operator 30 or positioning of the casement operator 30 in the storage configuration, which is generally aesthetically pleasing to users.
Referring to FIGS. 2, 3-4B and 7, in the preferred embodiment, a crank knob 10 is mounted to the grasping end 8a of the crank handle 8. The preferred housing 2 includes a knob depression 35 that is exposed to the storage cavity 27. When the crank handle 8 is in the retracted position, the crank knob 10 is located in the knob depression 35. The knob depression 35 accommodates the crank knob 10 to provide a compact and low-profile retracted position for the crank handle 8 and the crank knob 10 such that the overall size and configuration of the casement operator 30 is relatively compact and to provide support for the crank knob 10 and crank handle 8 in the retracted position. The relatively compact design of the casement operator 30 is typically preferred by a user. However, the housing 2 is not limited to inclusion of the knob depression 35 or to inclusion of the crank knob 10, as would be apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art.
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In the preferred embodiment, the detent sphere 34 is constructed of a metallic material but is not so limited. For example, detent sphere 34 may be constructed of a composite, wooden, polymeric or nearly any other material that is able to withstand the normal operating conditions of the detent sphere 34 and take on the general size and shape of the detent sphere 34.
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When the user has manipulated the window 29 to a desired position, the crank handle 8 is rotated to a predetermined orientation relative to the operation axis 26 and is pivoted about the handle axis 25 from the extended position to the retracted position. In the retracted position, the crank handle 8 is positioned proximate or in facing engagement with the plateau 2b and the crank knob 10 is positioned within the knob depression 35, creating a generally low profile. The cover 1 is pivoted from the opened position to the closed position about the door axis 1a to cover or hide the crank handle 8 and the crank assembly 28 in the storage cavity 27. In the closed position, the crank assembly 28 and a majority of the housing 2 are generally hidden from a user's sight by the cover 1, which preferably has an aesthetically pleasing appearance on its external surfaces. In addition, as the decor of the room changes, the appearance of the cover 1 may be modified relatively easily, for example, by painting the cover 1 or by removing and replacing the cover 1. The cover 1 also tends to protect the handle 8, the housing 2 and the crank assembly 28 from dust and dirt that is present in the room and from objects that may bump into or scratch the crank assembly 28 and housing 2. Further, if the crank handle 8 is damaged during use, the fastener 11 may be removed such that the crank handle 8 may be removed and replaced. In addition, the low profile of the casement operator 30 in the closed position limits any contact between the casement operator and the window treatment that is typically associated with the window 29.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiment described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/819,022, which was filed Jul. 7, 2006, is entitled “Casement Window Operator with Exchangeable Cover and Pre-Assembled Crank Handle” and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60819022 | Jul 2006 | US |