The following relates to embodiment of a barricade and more specifically to embodiments of an extendible, portable barricade that can be used as an accessory to an overhead door.
Most garages and similar structures include an overhead door. Overhead doors can be opened and closed to provide access in and out of the garage. Overhead doors are often left opened to increase visibility and air flow, and to allow natural light to enter a garage while a person is working inside. However, when the overhead door is in an open position, debris, sticks, leaves, dirt particles, insects, and rodents may easily enter the garage, which causes unwanted problems. To prevent this from happening, the overhead door must be fully closed. Unfortunately, when the overhead door is fully closed, a person inside must deal with limited natural light and air flow, the necessity to open and close the overhead door each time the person exits and reenters, and reduced or significantly limited visibility to areas outside of the garage.
Thus, a need exists for an apparatus and method for a barricade that can prevent entry of unwanted objects and animals, yet allow a person to enjoy the advantages of an overhead door being in an open position.
A first aspect relates generally to an apparatus comprising a housing having an interior volume, a first panel located within the interior volume of the housing that is extendable from the housing, and a second panel located within the interior volume of the housing that is extendible from the housing, wherein the housing is releasably attached to an overhead door.
A second aspect relates generally to an attachment assembly for coupling a portable barricade to an overhead door, comprising a clamp, the clamp having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface facing the overhead door, a fastener passing through a clamp opening of the clamp and through an opening of the overhead door, a coupling member operably engaged with the fastener, and a biasing element positioned between the second surface of the clamp and the overhead door, wherein, when the coupling member is actuated in a first direction, the biasing element is compressed, shortening a distance between the clamp and the overhead door such that a portion of the portable barricade located behind the clamp is urged toward the overhead door.
A third aspect relates generally to a method of providing a temporary barrier across an entrance, comprising releasably securing a barricade to an inside surface of an overhead door of a structure having the entrance, wherein when the overhead door is in a closed position, releasing the barricade, and extending one or more side panels across the entrance to form the barrier.
The foregoing and other features of construction and operation will be more readily understood and fully appreciated from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings.
Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:
A detailed description of the hereinafter described embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures. Although certain embodiments are shown and described in detail, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. The scope of the present disclosure will in no way be limited to the number of constituting components, the materials thereof, the shapes thereof, the relative arrangement thereof, etc., and are disclosed simply as an example of embodiments of the present disclosure.
As a preface to the detailed description, it should be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Referring to the drawings,
Moreover, embodiments of the barricade 100 may be portable, wherein a user may relocate the barricade 100 with relative ease, and place in any location where a barricade, a barrier, or obstacle is desired. For example, embodiments of barricade 100 may include a handle portion 45 for gripping, lifting, grabbing, etc. the barricade 100 for moving, relocating, placing, carrying, etc. the barricade 100. Thus, embodiments of the barricade 100 may be manually placed at or near an entrance to a structure or other designated space, or it may be displaced by the opening and closing of the overhead door if the barricade 100 is operably attached to the overhead door. Furthermore, embodiments of the barricade 100 may be extendible, adjustable, configurable, etc., to accommodate various widths or sizes of openings. Because the barricade 100 may be extendible, the size or lateral reach of the barricade 100 may be adjusted by a user to either accommodate a fixed opening such that it extends from one end of the opening to the other, or to allow the user to determine a total length or width of the barrier formed by the barricade 100. Further embodiments of the barricade 100 may include a strip of reflector tape or material so that it can be visible during the night when headlights or other lights are directed at the barricade 100 to warn or alert others to its presence in the entrance. Likewise, the strip may also be non-reflective, but of a bright conspicuous color to notify others of its presence during the day.
Referring now to
Embodiments of the barricade 100 may include a housing 10. Embodiments of the housing 10 may be a central housing, a central unit, a central panel, a covering, a receptacle, and the like. Embodiments of the housing 10 may have a first end 1, a second end 2, a first section 11a having an exterior first surface 11b, and a second section 12a having an exterior surface second surface 12b. The first surface 11b and the second surface 12b may be a continuous, solid surface forming a wall, barrier, obstacle, barricade, and the like. Alternatively, the first surface 11b and/or second surface 12b may include a plurality of openings or slits to allow passage of air, but restrict or prevent solids or other debris. Moreover, the first section 11a and the second section 12a may be spaced apart a distance to form an interior volume or space 19. Embodiments of the interior volume 19 of the housing 10 may be the space, gap, void, and the like, formed by a bottom and top portion of the housing 10 that can be connected to the first section 11a and the second section 12a. For example, embodiments of the housing 10 may include an interior volume 19 to completely or partially accommodate, house, retain, receive, store, etc. the first panel 20 and the second panel 30 when the barricade 100 is in a first position (e.g. non-extended position) and a second position (e.g. extended or partially extended position). The size of the interior volume 19 may vary, and may depend on the size of the housing 10, and/or the distance between the first section 11a and the second section 12b. In some embodiments, the distance between the first and second panel sections of the housing 10 may be 2 inches, which accommodates a first panel 20 and a second panel 30, wherein a thickness of the first panel 20 and a second panel 30 is ¼ inch. Those skilled in the art can appreciate that the housing 10, the first panel 20, and the second panel 30 may be sized and dimensioned in any way that allows the first panel 20 and the second panel 30 to reside within the housing 10 (e.g. side-by side) and move independently while within the housing 10 to extend, at least laterally, a distance from the housing 10.
Furthermore, embodiments of the housing 10 may include a guide element 18 to facilitate and guide the lateral movement of the first panel 20 and the second panel 30 from a first position to a second position. Embodiments of the guide element 18 may be one or more tracks, channels, guides, brackets, railings, and the like. For instance, the guide element 18 may include two side walls with an optional bottom portion (the bottom portion may be an inner surface of the housing) that can form a channel 14, as shown in
Moreover, embodiments of the housing 10 may include a handle portion 45 located on the top surface of the housing for carrying, placing, transporting, or otherwise maneuvering the barricade 100. Embodiments of the handle portion 45 may be curvilinear, rectangular, and or square-shaped. Embodiments of the handle portion 45 may be connected to the housing 10 at one or more locations, and may include a padded section and/or ergonomic grips. There may be more than one handle portion 45 operably attached to the housing 10. Further, embodiments of the housing 10 may include a ramped portion 15. Embodiments of the ramped portion 15 may extend from the first end 1 to the second end 2 of the housing 10. The ramped portion 15 may include a ramped or otherwise inclined section that tapers from the first surface 11b and the second surface 12b, respectively, to form a footing or base for the housing 10. For example, embodiments of the ramped portion 15 may help prevent or may resist wobbling or toppling over of the barricade 100. Additionally, embodiments of the housing 10 and its components may be comprised of metal, lightweight metal, metal alloy, a rigid plastic, a composition, polymer, or a combination thereof. In exemplary embodiment, the materials forming the housing 10 can be lightweight, rigid materials, such as aluminum or polyvinyl chloride.
With continued reference to
Furthermore, embodiments of the first panel 20 may include a first lip 25 and a second lip 26 at, proximate, or otherwise near an end of the first panel 20. Embodiments of the first lip 25 and the second lip 26 may be a lip, a protrusion, a hook, or other mechanical structural feature that extends from the surface of the first panel 20. Embodiments of the first lip 25 may be configured to engage the housing 10 at the first end 1 of the housing 10 when closing or reinserting the first panel 20 into the housing 10. The first lip 25 may, upon engagement with the housing 10, prevent or hinder further movement within the housing 10 beyond the first end 1 of the housing 10. For instance, the mechanical interference between the housing 10 and the first lip 25 may preclude the first panel 20 from being difficult for a user to grip and extend the first panel 20. In addition, the first lip 25 may function as a gripping device for a user to grab and extend the first panel 20. Embodiments of the first panel 20 may also include a second lip 26. Embodiments of the second lip 26 may be slightly smaller than the first lip 25 with respect to the distance from the first panel 20, and may act as a spacer to facilitate easy gripping and maneuvering of the first panel 20. For instance, embodiments of the second lip 26 may first engage a portion of the housing 10 at the first end 1 of the housing 10 to prevent further movement of the first panel 20 within the housing 10 as described above. If the second lip 26 engages the housing 10, the distance between the second lip 26 and the first lip 25 may allow a user to easily grab the first lip 25 and extend the first panel 20. Further, embodiments of the first panel 20 may be comprised of metal, lightweight metal, metal alloy, a rigid plastic, a composition, a polymer, or a combination thereof. In exemplary embodiment, the materials forming the housing 10 can be lightweight, rigid materials. In addition, embodiments of the first panel 20 may include both rigid materials and non-rigid materials, such as a screen, mesh material.
Referring still to
Furthermore, as shown in
Continuing to refer to the drawings,
Turning now to
Embodiments of the barricade 100 may be releasably attached to the overhead door by an attachment assembly 70. Embodiments of the attachment assembly 70 may releasably attach, couple, affix, fasten, etc. the housing 10 to an inside surface of an overhead door. Embodiments of the attachment assembly 70 may releasably secure the housing 10 to the overhead door, wherein tightening or loosening the attachment assembly 70 may secure or release the housing 10. Embodiments of the fastening assembly 70 may include a coupling member 71, a biasing element 72, a fastener 73, such as a bolt 73, an anchor 74, a clamp 76, and an elastic member 75. The fastener 73 may be a carriage bolt or similar bolt, and may be threaded, and may pass through a created opening in the overhead door. An anchor 74 or similar component may be placed within the opening in the overhead door to anchor or otherwise support the bolt 73 passing through the overhead door. A washer may be placed between the biasing element 72 and the inside surface of the overhead door. At the free end of the fastener 73 (i.e. opposite the head), a clamp having an opening corresponding to the diameter of the fastener 73 may be placed onto the fastener, after the biasing element is placed over to radially surround the bolt 73. Embodiments of the biasing element 72 may be a spring, such as a compression spring. The coupling element 71 may be placed over the free end to prevent unwanted disengagement of the biasing element 72 and the clamp portion 76 (and potentially a washer). When the coupling member 71 is rotated in a first direction, the biasing element 72 may be compressed, shortening the distance between the clamp portion 76 and the overhead door. Because a portion of the housing 10 can be located behind the clamp 76, when the clamp 76 is driven forward, the housing 10 is tightened against the inside surface of the overhead door. The tighter the housing 10 is against the overhead door, the more secure it is to the door, which can allow the housing 10 to remain attached to the door when the overhead door moves from a closed position to an open position. An elastic material 75 can be affixed to the clamp so as to prevent damage to the housing 10 when the attachment assembly 70 is tightened to a secure position.
Conversely, the coupling member 71 may be rotated in a second direction, opposite the first direction, to loosen the housing 10 from the overhead door. For instance, when the coupling member 71, such as a wing nut, is rotated in a second direction, the distance between the clamp 76 and the surface of the overhead door is increased, loosening the connection between the housing 10 and the overhead door. In the loosened position, the housing 10 may be removed from engagement with the attachment assembly 70, while the attachment assembly 70 remains intact and attached to the overhead door. Alternatively, the attachment assembly 70 may be removed when the housing 10 is removed from a releasably secure position. Additionally, a base plate 60 may be used in conjunction with the attachment assembly 70. Embodiments of the base plate 60 may help accommodate a weight of the housing 10 to facilitate the securing and releasing of the housing 10 to the overhead door. Embodiments of the base plate 60 may be releasable fastened to the overhead door with one or more fasteners 66. The base plate 60 may include a bottom portion 65 and a wall portion 64. Accordingly, embodiments of the barricade 100 may be releasably attached to an inside surface of an overhead door.
With reference now to
While this disclosure has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as required by the following claims. The claims provide the scope of the coverage of the invention and should not be limited to the specific examples provided herein.
This application is a non-provisional application that claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 14/844,495, filed Sep. 3, 2015, and entitled “Extendible Barricade,” which claims priority to U.S. Provisional No. 62/045,167, filed Sep. 3, 2014, entitled “Extendible Barricade.” The entire contents of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/844,495 and U.S. Provisional No. 62/045,167, filed Sep. 3, 2014 are hereby incorporated by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20170335623 A1 | Nov 2017 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62045167 | Sep 2014 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14844495 | Sep 2015 | US |
Child | 15674241 | US |