Patent Grant
11578517
It is estimated that 15 to 20 children under 11 die in falls from windows each year in the United States, and nearly 15,000 are injured. Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, “Window Fall Prevention”, (July 2015) available at https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/w/window-falls. In 2008, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported from 2002-2004 it received an average of 25 reports a year of fatalities associated with falls from windows, with children younger than five accounting for approximately one-third. CPSC Release No. 08-270 (May 15, 2008). A 2011 study found that an estimated 98,415 children were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments for falls from windows from 1990-2008, an average of 5,180 annually. Of the 98,415 falls, in at least 16,235 a window screen was reportedly in place in the window. Vaughn A. Harris, et al., “Pediatric Injuries Attributable to Falls from Windows in the United States in 1990-2008,” Pediatrics, 128:3, 455 (September 2011).
ASTM International has adopted a Standard Specification for Window Fall Prevention Devices with Emergency Escape (Egress) Release Mechanisms, Designation: F2090. The current edition, designated ASTM F2090-17, was approved in November 2017. According to ASTM F2090-17, “[t]he CPSC has advised caregivers to open windows less than 4 inches when children are present as one means to prevent child falls through open windows.”
A variety of window opening control devices have been developed to limit window opening to less than 4 inches. Window opening control devices are the standard protection against child falls through a window. Window opening control devices must withstand a 75 lbf load in the opening direction of the window sash. Window opening control device are conventionally designed with a release mechanism for emergency escape or rescue. Despite the protection offered by the devices, people are known to release, remove, and/or disable window opening control devices so that they can open the window 4.0 inches or more, for example, for greater ventilation. Increased ventilation is often desired for greater personal comfort. Increased ventilation may be especially desirable in hot weather and where air conditioning is not available. The Centers for Disease Control have recommended increased ventilation in residential, commercial, and workplace environments to reduce spread of infections, including the coronavirus.
Conventional window screens are insufficient to protect against child falls through open windows. Indeed, of the 98,415 falls between 1990-2008 identified in the 2011 study, a conventional window screen was reportedly in the window in at least 16,235 of the falls, which corresponds to 82.8% of the falls for which information regarding presence or absence of a screen was reported. Vaughn A. Harris, et al., “Pediatric Injuries Attributable to Falls from Windows in the United States in 1990-2008,” Pediatrics, 128:3, 455 (September 2011).
Fall prevention window guards are known and sometimes installed to prevent a child from passing or falling through a window that is open more than 4.0 inches. Fall prevention window guards typically attach to a window frame or window extension jamb and provide a plurality of elements that serve only to prevent a child from passing through the window opening. Fall prevention window guards can be expensive and people may not bother to install them. In particular, people may not enjoy looking through fall prevention window guards in their windows and may fail to install or may remove the guards.
In U.S. Pat. No. 9,617,784, the inventor disclosed a safety screen that in addition to providing the standard benefits of a window screen also provides some protection from child falls out of a window. The '784 patent is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The inventor recognized that improper installation of a safety screen in accordance with the '784 patent may compromise the safety offered by the safety screen. The inventor further recognized that a safety screen in accordance with the '784 patent alone may not satisfy all of the performance criteria of ASTM F2090-17. Accordingly, the inventor recognized a need for one or more additional safety devices for use with a window and a safety screen, to provide further protection against child falls through a window with a safety screen.
A system for improved window fall prevention provides removable attachment of a safety screen frame to a window frame. In embodiments, the system provides removable attachment of a safety screen frame to an anchor positioned in the window frame by means of a plurality of cables. The cables attach to the screen frame or rest against an exterior portion of the screen frame at an exterior end, are threaded through the screen frame, and include on an interior end, opposite the exterior end, a releasable attachment to the window frame anchor. In embodiments, the releasable attachment is between a loop of cable formed at the interior end and the window frame anchor, which the window frame anchor may be a T-screw. The releasable attachment may be releasable without the use of tools.
Embodiments of the present technology provide a number of advantages, such as ensuring that a child may not fall through a window even if the window is open and the screen is disconnected from the window. Further, although other safety systems may rely upon the screen remaining in place on the window frame, with the present system, even if the screen becomes loose, falls through the window may still be prevented by the present technology. Accordingly, the present system may provide a margin of safety even if a screen was installed incorrectly. The present technology may also permit removal of the device for emergency egress or to remove the screen for screen repair and service. Embodiments may allow a screen to give when receiving force while still limiting any gap between the screen frame and the window frame to a safe size.
Additionally, unlike window opening control devices that limit a sash opening of the window and thereby limit the ventilation available through the window, the present technology provides protection without limiting the ventilation available through the window. This advantage also reduces the likelihood that people would release, remove, and/or disable the device in order to improve ventilation, as may occur with window opening control devices. Embodiments may be installed as an after-market addition to existing and/or installed safety screens. The present technology may also provide a deterrent to intruders in that the screen will remain attached to the window frame by the plurality of cable systems even if an intruder removes the screen from the window frame, thereby delaying or frustrating the intruder.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.
Reference will now be made in detail to certain exemplary embodiments according to the present disclosure, certain examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. It may be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
In this application, the use of the singular includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise. In this application, the use of “or” means “and/or” unless stated otherwise. Furthermore, the use of the term “including”, as well as other forms, such as “includes” and “included”, is not limiting. Any range described herein will be understood to include the endpoints and all values between the endpoints. All documents, or portions of documents, cited in this application, including but not limited to patents, patent applications, articles, books, and treatises, are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety for any purpose.
Referring to the figures,
The system described herein may include holes 4 and anchor 7 as depicted in
The system may include or be provided with a safety screen, such as the safety screen described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,617,784. Safety screens are available from Lansing Housing Products, Inc. (Lansing, Iowa), including Tough Tek Metals® screens. U.S. Pat. No. 9,617,784 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. A safety screen in accordance with this invention is a screen that resists bending and breaking when properly installed and subjected to a 60 lbf static mid-screen load. For example, a safety screen in accordance with this invention is a screen that when properly installed and subjected to a 60 lbf static mid-screen load does not sustain any readily identifiable damage.
The cable system may be of various lengths, such as about 2 inches to about 6 inches. The length may be about 2 inches, about 2¼ inches, about 2½ inches, about 2¾ inches, about 3 inches, about 3¼ inches, about 3½ inches, about 3¾ inches, about 4 inches, about 4¼ inches, about 4½ inches, about 4¾ inches, about 5 inches, about 5¼ inches, about 5½ inches, about 5¾ inches, or about 6 inches. Preferably, the length of the cable system will include enough play to permit installation by manipulating the loop over the anchor. In embodiments, the cable system may feature about ½ inch to about 1¼ inches of play when properly installed in a safety screen frame and releasably attached to a window frame anchor.
In embodiments, four cable systems are installed to permit attachment proximate each of four corners of a rectangular window and to limit twisting of the safety screen in a way that would result in an unacceptable gap, such as a gap between a window opening and a safety screen of 4 inches or greater. For larger windows, additional cable systems may be added to ensure that no gap of 4 inches or greater may form. For example, if a 100 lb strike force noticeably bends a safety screen, additional cable systems may be provided to ensure a maximum gap between a window opening and the screen frame of less than 4 inches. Four cable attachments should suffice for a safety screen with a maximum dimension of under 40 inches. Additional cable attachments may be needed for a screen with a maximum dimension of larger than 40 inches. For example, six cables attachments, with three on each of the longer parallel sides of the window frame including one cable about 4 inches from each end and one centered along the side.
It may be appreciated that the invention can be used with many different window styles and configurations, including retrofit installations on existing windows. Accordingly, it is a particular advantage of the present technology that it permits flexibility in mounting the anchors and cable systems that may allow installation in a wide range of existing window and safety screen systems.
In some installations, a safety screen may be installed over an entire window including one or more window sashes. For example, a safety screen may be installed over an entire awning window or an entire casement window. It may be necessary to install a safety screen over the entirety of the interior of such a window to allow an awning window or a casement window to be opened. In other installations, a screen may be installed only over a portion of the window, such as the portion corresponding to the opening created when the window is fully opened. For example, where a single sash is operable (e.g., a single hung window, or a slider with one operable sash), the safety screen may be installed only over the window opening that may be created by the operable sash. In a window with two operable sashes (e.g., a double hung window), the screen may be installed over both sashes, covering the entire window.
The maximum cable length should be selected so that when the cables are installed in accordance with the instructions any possible gap between a window opening and a safety screen is less than 4 inches. For example, if four holes are provided in the longer sides of the safety screen frame, each the same 4 inch distance from an outer corner of the safety screen, and the corresponding anchors are installed in the longer sides of the window frame, each the same 4 inch distance from the inner corner of the window frame but offset a measurable distance to the inside of a window opening, a cable length of 4 inches will typically limit any possible gap between a window opening and a safety screen to less than 4 inches. Similarly, if four holes are provided in the longer sides of the safety screen frame, each 5 inches from an outer corner of the safety screen, and the corresponding anchors are installed on the window frame in the longer sides of the window frame, each 2 inches from the inner corner of the window frame but offset a measurable distance to the inside of a window opening, a cable length of 5.0 inches will typically limit any possible gap between a window opening and a safety screen to less than 4 inches.
A maximum gap of 4 inches between the screen frame and window frame is referred to herein as a maximum acceptable gap in view of the requirements of ASTM F2090-17. See ASTM F2090-17, ¶4.1 (“Window fall prevention screens or fall prevention window guard devices shall be constructed so as to prohibit the free passage of a 4.0-in. (102-mm) diameter rigid sphere anywhere in the window opening . . . ”). However, one of ordinary skill in the art could modify systems of the present technology to achieve a larger or smaller maximum gap, if desired, for example, for compliance with other standards or to potentially achieve a greater margin of safety.
Materials that may be used for one or more of the cable, anchor, interior end, and exterior end include stainless steel, such as SAE 304 stainless steel or SAE 316 stainless steel, carbon fiber, chrome plated steel, titanium, tungsten, cast, zinc die cast, or an alloy such as one of the Inconel alloys available from the Special Metals Corporation (New Hartford, N.Y.). SAE refers to the steel grades established by SAE International.
The cable may be attached to the screen by drilling or otherwise providing an appropriately-sized hole in the screen frame, feeding an interior end of the cable through the hole from the exterior side of the screen frame, and preventing the exterior end of the cable from passing through the hole in the screen frame by sizing the exterior end to be larger than the screen frame hole. Alternatively, the cable may be face-mounted on the screen frame or crimped into the frame.
Attachment of the cable to the screen frame or of the cable to the window frame may include or consist of a button stop, a threaded rod, a threaded stop, a ball and shank, a looped end, clevises, a yoke end, a swivel snap, a T hook, eye ends, a threaded shaft, a swivel clip, a hook and ball, or a pivot T-clip. Examples of features that may be positioned at an exterior end of a cable system to attach the exterior end of the cable system to the screen frame include ball shank 12 and washer 13 shown in
The anchor mounted in the window frame may be a screw, such as any screw described herein. Alternatively, the anchor may be a carbon fiber attachment, a shouldered head screw, a hook screw, a J clip, a swivel clasp, a snap clip, or a magnet. The attachment of the cable to the window frame may be selected to permit a user to remove the cable system without the use of a tool and relatively easily for emergency egress or maintenance.
The anchor may be positioned in the window frame diagonally, (i.e., offset from the location of the corresponding hole in the screen frame). For example,
The cable may be selected from a number of different sizes, such as, for example, 1/32 inch, 3/64 inch, 1/16 inch, and 3/32 inch. The cable may be a coated cable. In embodiments, the cable may feature a high visibility coating, such as a red coating, to assist an individual in locating and removing the cable system for emergency egress. The cable may be a 7×7, 304 stainless steel cable. The breaking strengths associated with the foregoing are listed in Table 1. Alternatively, the cable may be a 1×19 or 7×19 cable. The numbers given for the cable correspond to the number of strands forming the cable and the number of wires in each strand, respectively. The cable may be made of galvanized carbon steel or stainless steel or of the other materials listed above. Stainless steel may be preferred to avoid deterioration of the cable in the event of exposure to water, which may occur if the coating is damaged.
A cable loop at the interior end may be secured using a crimped sleeve. The size of the crimped sleeve may be selected to accommodate the cable loop. For example, the length of the cable comprising the looped end may be from about ¾ inch to about 3½ inches. Exemplary crimped sleeve sizes are set forth in Table 1.
The screen frame holes may be formed by drilling a screen frame. Alternatively, the screen frame may be manufactured with the holes. The size of the screen frame holes may be selected to accommodate the coated cable. In embodiments where the interior end of the cable system including a loop and crimped sleeve or other fastening feature is to be threaded through the hole, the hole may be sized to accommodate the loop and crimped sleeve or other fastening feature. Exemplary hole sizes are set forth in Table 1. In embodiments, the hole to receive the cable threaded through the screen frame may be within about 8 inches of the nearest frame corner. For example, the hole may be about 1 inch, about 2 inches, about 3 inches, about 4 inches, about 5 inches, about 6 inches, or about 7 inches from the nearest corner.
For example,
Practice of the invention will be still more fully understood from the following examples, which are presented herein for illustration only and should not be construed as limiting the invention in any way.
An exemplary prophetic system corresponds substantially to the embodiment shown in
Cable system 30 features flat shouldered stud 32 including head portion 36, body 37, and splines 38. Loop 34 is formed from a portion of cable 31. Sleeve 35 is a stainless steel sleeve crimped to hold loop 34 in place. All components are constructed using corrosion resistant materials. Loop 34 and sleeve 35 are configured to fit just over a “T” head screw selected for use as an anchor, such as anchor 24 of
Flat shouldered stud 32 is configured to be seated into a hole drilled in the screen frame such that head 36 is seated against the exterior side of the screen frame and body 32 is positioned within the hole. In Example A, the screen frame hole is 3/16 inch diameter, the depth of body 32 is 7/32 inch, the width of body 32 is 5/32 inch, the width of head 36 is 5/16, the depth of head 36 is 1/16 inch. Splines 36 are configured to assist in seating flat shouldered stud 32 in position in the screen frame hole such that flat shouldered stud 32 does not slide out from the screen frame hole after installation.
Providing flat shouldered stud 32 or, in other embodiments, a different style exterior end of a loop cable system, substantially within the hole provides additional advantages. Specifically, where the hole is filled at least at one end, insects will be unable to pass through the screen frame hole. Additionally, where the cable system is not exposed on the exterior side of the window screen, an intruder would be unable to access and cut the cable. This advantage is further enhanced by the relatively flat profile of head 36, which reduces the ability to grip flat shouldered stud 32 from the exterior side when it is installed. On the other hand, flat shouldered stud 32 may be removed relatively more easily by applying force from the interior side to disassemble the system.
Cable system 30 is configured for use with a zinc-plated zinc T-head screw as an anchor, substantially similar to anchor 24 of
In Example A, the loop and the anchor are sized and configured to provide an additional safety feature. When loop 34 is positioned on anchor 24 over head 27, in order to remove loop 34, a user positions loop 34 such that the long axis of the loop is parallel the long axis of the anchor and then applies some force (e.g., about 2 to 3 pounds) parallel to the “T”-head in a downwards motion to loop 34 to clear the edge of the T leg before removing (e.g., the user pushes the upper end of loop 34 down while pulling the lower end (near sleeve 30) over one end of head 37 then moves the upper end of loop 34 up and over the opposite end of head 37). This configuration reduces the possibility of loop 34 becoming loose unintentionally from head 27, or of a child removing loop 34, while still permitting relatively fast intentional removal by a user, for example for emergency egress. Moreover, the configuration provides a release mechanism requiring two distinct actions to operate. F2090-17 includes a standard providing that certain window fall prevention devices feature two distinct actions to operate. See F2090-17 at ¶4.5.3 (“To protect against inadvertent operation by a young child, the emergency escape (egress) release mechanism(s) shall require two distinct actions to operate.”). The embodiment described in Example A therefore meets this standard as described above.
An exemplary working system has been prepared corresponding substantially to the embodiment depicted in
The system was installed in a test screen and window frame by drilling 3/16 inch holes in the screen frame. Four holes were drilled in the window frame portions corresponding to the vertical frame portions when the screen is installed, with one hole each at the top and bottom on either side. The holes were each 4 inches from the respective corners. Anchors were mounted in the window frame, substantially as shown in
To prepare Example B, the loop was introduced to the exterior side of the hole in the screen frame and pushed through to the interior side. The loop was then positioned over the anchor in the window frame as the screen was positioned against the window frame. Accordingly, the ball of the ball shank, a portion of the cable, and the washed remained on the exterior side of the screen frame. The loop was placed over the anchor head. Four cable systems were installed according to the configuration shown by the solid lines in
The system was tested according to ASTM Standard F2090-17. Specifically, the screen was positioned on the window frame and the system was attached as described. An impactor with a 100 pound weight suspended on a cable was positioned at 2 inches from the screen at the center of the screen and then was lifted back such that the impactor reached a height of 12 inches above its initial position. The impactor was released and allowed to impact the screen. It was observed that the screen pulled away from the window frame but remained attached by each of the four cable systems. It was further observed that the screen would not permit passage of a 4 inch diameter rigid sphere through or around the screen or window opening. Accordingly, it was determined that the system passed the 100 pound foot test.
The relationship between maximum cable length and offset between the screen hole and window frame anchor required to allow a maximum gap between the screen frame and the window frame of less than 4 inches is easily calculated from known trigonometric relationships. A right triangle is known to have the relationship that the square of the longest side is equal to the sum of the squares of the two shorter sides of the right triangle. This is sometimes describes as a2+b2=c2, where a and b are the lengths of the two sides adjacent to the right angle and c is the length of the triangle side opposite the right angle. The side of the right triangle opposite with right angle will be the cable length, C. One side of the right triangle is a maximum gap between the window anchor and safety screen frame hole, B, that should be less than 4 inches. The other side of the right triangle is the offset between the window frame anchor and the safety screen frame hole, A.
The required cable length C for a given offset A to achieve a maximum gap B of less than 4 inches can be calculated from the relationship: The gap B is the square root of the difference between the square of the cable length C and the square of the offset A, and the maximum gap must be less than 4 inches. Similarly, the required offset A for a given cable length C to achieve a maximum opening distance B of less than 4 inches can be calculated from the same relationship. Where the offset A is very small, the cable length C should be less than 4 inches to allow for offset error. Applying the 3/4/5 special case of the right triangle relationship allows one easy estimate: where the offset A between the window anchor and the screen hole is greater than 3 inches, such as when the anchor is located within an inch of the corner of a window frame and the screen hole is at least four inches from the corresponding corner of safety screen frame, the cable length C could be up to 5 inches and allow a maximum gap between the anchor and the screen frame hole of less than 4 inches. Other possible cable length C and offset A combinations that allow a maximum gap B of less than 4 inches are readily calculated from the relationship assuming a cable attachment at each of four corners in accordance with
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977165 | Williams | Oct 1934 | A |
| 2221005 | Reese | Nov 1940 | A |
| 2266235 | Mollard | Dec 1941 | A |
| 2975491 | Paul | Mar 1961 | A |
| 3214879 | Ellingson, Jr. | Nov 1965 | A |
| 3779175 | Wallen, Sr. | Dec 1973 | A |
| 3804454 | Simmons | Apr 1974 | A |
| 3836187 | Buettner | Sep 1974 | A |
| 4044813 | Emmons | Aug 1977 | A |
| 4186912 | Byrd, Jr. | Feb 1980 | A |
| 4210191 | Li | Jul 1980 | A |
| 4288119 | Geiger | Sep 1981 | A |
| 4304082 | Peters | Dec 1981 | A |
| 4409758 | Dickerson | Oct 1983 | A |
| 5134806 | Burkart, Jr. | Aug 1992 | A |
| 5358025 | Wood | Oct 1994 | A |
| 6209598 | Petrey | Apr 2001 | B1 |
| 6263625 | LaPointe | Jul 2001 | B1 |
| 6325085 | Gower | Dec 2001 | B1 |
| 6334455 | Nunez, Sr. | Jan 2002 | B1 |
| 6634146 | Carlson | Oct 2003 | B2 |
| 6658801 | Kilduff | Dec 2003 | B2 |
| 7654045 | Wiegel | Feb 2010 | B2 |
| 7841378 | Henning | Nov 2010 | B2 |
| 7842116 | Simmons | Nov 2010 | B2 |
| 7946333 | Zapata | May 2011 | B1 |
| 8037923 | Alkhoury | Oct 2011 | B2 |
| 8171681 | Miller | May 2012 | B2 |
| 8251121 | Casey | Aug 2012 | B1 |
| 8372508 | Reuter | Feb 2013 | B2 |
| 8528279 | Greene, Jr. | Sep 2013 | B1 |
| 8572911 | Binienda | Nov 2013 | B1 |
| 8943755 | Herlihy | Feb 2015 | B2 |
| 9617784 | Houlihan | Apr 2017 | B2 |
| 9863105 | Price | Jan 2018 | B1 |
| 10995546 | Seuberling | May 2021 | B2 |
| 20020073933 | Oakman | Jun 2002 | A1 |
| 20020098920 | Bruyer | Jul 2002 | A1 |
| 20020134414 | Gower | Sep 2002 | A1 |
| 20030075385 | Walls | Apr 2003 | A1 |
| 20030140593 | Trundle | Jul 2003 | A1 |
| 20040006937 | Jones | Jan 2004 | A1 |
| 20040154242 | Hudoba | Aug 2004 | A1 |
| 20050091923 | Pleasants | May 2005 | A1 |
| 20050246978 | Johnson | Nov 2005 | A1 |
| 20070107327 | Warner | May 2007 | A1 |
| 20070193137 | DeBoth | Aug 2007 | A1 |
| 20080086960 | Emek | Apr 2008 | A1 |
| 20090183844 | Alkhoury | Jul 2009 | A1 |
| 20100083585 | Miller | Apr 2010 | A1 |
| 20150211247 | Gembala | Jul 2015 | A1 |
| 20160201387 | Allen | Jul 2016 | A1 |
| Entry |
|---|
| Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, “Window Fall Prevention”, www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/w/window-falls (Jul. 2015). |
| U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, “Window Falls Prompts CPSC to Issue Warning”, Release No. 08-270 (May 15, 2008). |
| Vaughn A. Harris, et al., “Pediatric Injuries Attributable to Falls from Windows in the United States in 1990-2008”, Pediatrics, 128:3 (Sep. 2011). |
| ASTM International, “Standard Specification for Window Fall Prevention Devices with Emergency Escape (Egress) Release Mechanisms”, Designation: F2090-17 (Nov. 2017). |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20210372176 A1 | Dec 2021 | US |
