BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is fragmented perspective view of a storm cover made in accordance with the present invention showing it protecting a window opening in a structure.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the storm cover encircled in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the storm cover encircled in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the storm cover encircled in FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a fragmented, exploded, perspective view showing the manner in which individual fabric panels are connected to form the storm cover shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view schematically showing the manner in which the end connectors of a panel are assembled.
FIGS. 7A-7C are sectional views schematically showing the manner in which the end connectors are attached to fabric material to form a panel.
FIGS. 8A and 8B are plan views schematically showing the manner in which a storm cover is tensioned over the opening in the structure
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
A storm cover made in accordance with the present invention is generally indicated by the numeral 10 and is designed to cover and protect an opening in a structure or building. Thus, storm cover 10 is shown in FIG. 1 as protecting a window 11 surrounded by the frame 12 of a building. While it is to be understood that storm cover 10 could also be used to protect doors and other openings in a structure, storm cover 10 is particularly suited to cover window openings which are large in length (or door openings of significant height) such as might be found, for example, in some homes, schools, office buildings or factories.
Storm cover 10 is made up of a plurality of panels generally indicated by the numeral 13. Each panel 13 includes a fabric sheet 14 which extends between end rod supports 15. Fabric sheet 14 may be of any suitable material capable of withstanding the forces generated by high winds or wind-borne debris. The fabric disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/190,114 filed Jul. 25, 2005, to which reference is made for whatever details are necessary to understand the present invention, is particularly suitable for fabric sheets 14. Rod supports 15 may be formed of any suitable sturdy material, such as aluminum or many forms of rigid plastic materials such as polyvinylchloride, polypropylene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, or the like.
The manner in which each panel 13 is constructed is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7A-7C. Opposed flaps 16 extend from each rod support 15 and are formed by folding a piece of fabric 17, which can be the same type of fabric as sheets 14, around a rod support 15, and attaching the fabric 17 to a rod support 15 by any suitable means such as sewing, gluing, heat sealing or the like. The remaining material of fabric 17 that is not attached to rod support 15 forms opposed flaps 16. To attach rod supports 15 to a fabric sheet 14, flaps 16 are moved over the end of sheet 14 (FIG. 7A) until the ends of sheet 14 are fully seated within flaps 16 (FIG. 7B). Then flaps 16 may be attached to sheet 14 (FIG. 7C) by any suitable means such as sewing, gluing, heat sealing or the like, to form a panel 13.
FIG. 5 best shows the manner in which panels 13 are connected to form storm cover 10. To that end, a binocular connector, generally indicated by the numeral 20, is provided between each panel 13. Connectors 20 may be made of aluminum or any suitable plastic material, such as polyvinylchloride, or the like, and include opposed vertical tubular apertures 21 carried at each end of a connecting strip 22. Apertures 21 each have a vertical slit opening 23 formed therein at a location generally opposed to strip 22. The rod support 15 of one panel 13 is received in one aperture 21 of a connector 20, and the rod support 15 of an adjacent panel 13 is received in the other aperture 21 of that connector 20, as by sliding the rods 15 in the apertures 21 as shown in FIG. 5. In so doing, the fabric sheet 14 of each panel 13 is received through slit openings 23. In such a manner, as many panels of as many sizes as necessary to cover the opening in the building may be attached together by using binocular connectors 20. In addition, connectors 20 add vertical stiffness to cover 10 to reduce deflection.
One end of storm cover 10 may be attached directly to the frame 12 of the structure. To that end, only one end of an end panel 13 receives a connector 20, and its rod support 15 at the other end is positioned in a receiver generally indicated by the numeral 24, which can be made of aluminum or a suitable plastic material, such as polyvinylchloride or the like. As best shown in FIG. 2, receiver 24 includes a generally triangular-shaped, hollow body portion 25 which carries a tubular aperture 26 which can be generally identical to tubular vertical apertures 21 of connectors 20. As such, aperture 26 is also provided with a slit opening 27 running the length thereof. The rod support 15 of the end panel 13 may thus be slid into aperture 24 with the fabric sheet 14 being received through slit opening 27. The body portion 25 can be attached to the building frame 12 most conveniently by utilizing fasteners (not shown) which can extend through the base 28 of body portion 25 and into the frame 12.
The other end of storm cover 10 can be attached to the opposed frame 12 via a latch mechanism generally indicated by the numeral 30 which also serves to tension cover 10. Latch mechanism 30 may be made of aluminum or any suitable plastic material such as polyvinylchloride or the like, and includes a vertically extending lock base, generally indicated by the numeral 31, which is fixed to frame 12 by conventional fasteners (not shown) received through the extension of rear surface 32 thereof. A slot 33 is formed on one side of lock base 31 near the end thereof opposed to rear surface 32, and a hook 34 is formed on the opposed side of base 31.
Latch mechanism 30 also includes a tension connector generally indicated by the numeral 35. A tubular aperture 36 is formed on one end of tension connector 35 which can be generally identical to tubular vertical apertures 21 of connectors 20. Thus, aperture 36 is provided with a slit opening 37 running the length thereof. An end panel 13, which is connected at one end to an adjacent panel 13 by a connector 20, has its rod support 15 at the other end slid into aperture 36 with the fabric sheet 14 being received through slot opening 37. Tension connector 35 is thus pivotally attached to the rod support 15 at the end of cover 10.
Tension connector 35 is somewhat J-shaped in top plan profile having a longer branch 38 with a tab 39 formed at one end thereof thereby creating the J-shape. A knuckle 40 is formed at the other end of branch 38 and is rotatably received (snap fit) in a recess 41 formed in a tension arm generally indicated by the numeral 42. Recess 41 of tension arm 42 is formed of a body portion 43 of arm 42, and a handle 44 extends outwardly from body 43. At the end of body 43 opposed to handle 44, a stop surface 45 and a pivot surface 46 are formed. Pivot surface 46 is received in hook 34 of lock base 31, and tab 39 is received in slot 33 of lock base 31.
The manner in which latch mechanism 30 operates to lock and tension cover 10 in place is shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. When it is desired to latch cover 10 in place, the components of latch mechanism 30 are first located as shown in FIG. 8A. That is, tab 39 is positioned at the entrance to slot 33, and pivot surface 46 is positioned adjacent to hook 34. Handle 44 is rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 8A, until stop surface 45 engages the extension of rear surface 32 of lock base 31. At this point, as viewed in FIG. 8B, the camming action has tensioned the fabric 14 of cover 10, tab 39 is fully received in slot 33, and pivot surface 46 is fully seated in hook 34. Cover 10 is thus fully locked and tensioned in place to protect the window 11, and when the protection afforded thereby is no longer needed, latch mechanism 30 can be unlocked by rotating handle 44 in the opposite direction. Curtain 10 can then be removed from the structure, by removing it from receiver 24, and it can be rolled up and stored for future use, as needed.
It should thus be evident that a storm curtain constructed as described herein accomplishes the objects of the invention and otherwise substantially improves the art.
Patent Application
20080078131
