Patent Application
20230220725
This disclosure generally relates to a window assembly. More specifically, the disclosure, in various aspects, relates to window assembly used in relation to a hunting blind (or blinds).
Hunting often requires a hunter to be exposed to environmental conditions (e.g., weather and temperature) in undeveloped areas for extended periods of time. Avoiding detection while hunting is also a paramount consideration. If a hunter is seen, heard, or smelled, game will avoid the area the hunter is located. To protect themselves from these elements and avoid detection, hunters often use blinds to provide the hunter protection from the elements and to obscure the location of the hunter by having an exterior that is camouflaged.
The remote locations that hunting may take place requires in most instances that blinds be configured for mobility, especially in rough and crowded terrain that limits access. Similarly, blinds are often relocated or stored throughout or at the end of each hunting season for a variety of reasons. To facilitate this mobility and protection, blinds are often made of light weight materials such as low-density polyethene and the like.
While inside the blind, hunters must be able to see their surroundings, produce calls to attract game, and fire a hunting implement, such as a long gun, at game. To this end, window assemblies are known in the art that cover openings formed in a shell of the blind. A pane of the window assembly is often openable to allow the hunting implement to pass through the window assembly and to broadcast calls to bring game closer. While useful, the combination of light weight plastics, such as polyethene, and the need to secure a window assembly has a number of deficiencies.
Low-density polyethene, and similar materials, are largely nonstick in nature making connection of the window assembly difficult. This requires a multitude of fasteners to secure the window, which requires that numerous holes be drilled through the shell for the fasteners or connection members to pass through the window assembly and shell. Likewise, the nonstick quality of these materials requires a substantial amount of adhesive to be applied to seal the window assembly so that the outside elements cannot leak through. This process is time consuming, messy, and laborious.
Low-density polyethene, and similar materials also has a large rate of expansion and contraction. These changes cause the fasteners and adhesive to be less effective, ultimately leading to the window assembly leaking. Hence, known window assemblies are difficult to manufacture, repair, and replace.
Thus it is a primary aspect of this disclosure to provide a window assembly that improves upon the art.
Another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a window assembly that eliminates drilling fastener openings in a shell and the use of an adhesive to seal the window assembly.
Yet another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a window assembly that maintains a seal as a shell of a blind expands and contracts.
Another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a window assembly that provides a frame assembly that is independent (i.e., not directly affixed by a fastener or an adhesive) from a shell of a blind.
Yet another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a window assembly that is airtight and watertight.
Another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a window assembly that simplifies manufacture and repair.
Yet another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a window assembly that reduces the number of parts necessary for manufacture.
These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the specification and claims.
The disclosure provides various aspects of a window assembly
In some aspects of the disclosure, broadly described herein, the techniques relate to a window assembly including: a frame assembly having an exterior frame and an interior frame; a frame gasket received between the exterior frame and the interior frame; the exterior frame having a first flange and the interior frame having a second flange, wherein the first flange and the second flange engage the frame gasket; a pane gasket received in the interior frame; and a pane connected to the interior frame.
In some aspects, broadly described herein, the techniques relate to a window assembly further including the interior frame having a third flange, wherein the third flange extends over and engages a gasket surface of the frame gasket.
In some aspects, broadly described herein, the techniques relate to a window assembly further including a shell having a shell opening, wherein the frame gasket is received over a circumferential edge over the shell opening.
In some aspects, broadly described herein, the techniques relate to a window assembly further including a cavity extending between a gasket surface of the frame gasket and the circumferential edge.
In some aspects, broadly described herein, the techniques relate to a window assembly wherein the frame gasket is U shaped formed by an interior flange and an exterior flange of the frame gasket extending outwardly away from the gasket surface.
In some aspects, broadly described herein, the techniques relate to a window assembly further including the interior frame having a third flange that extends over and engages the gasket surface such that the frame gasket is held in place over the circumferential edge.
In some aspects, broadly described herein, the techniques relate to a window assembly wherein the frame assembly is independent of the shell such that the frame assembly is not affixed to the shell.
In some aspects, broadly described herein, the techniques relate to a window assembly further including the exterior frame and the interior frame matingly connected inward from the frame gasket.
In some aspects, broadly described herein, the techniques relate to a window assembly further including the exterior frame having a first plurality of frame posts and the interior frame post having a second plurality of frame posts, a plurality of frame fasteners that each of the plurality of frame fasteners are received through one of the first plurality of frame posts and one of the second plurality of frame posts, wherein the first plurality of frame posts and the second plurality of frame posts are positioned inwardly from the frame gasket.
In some aspects, broadly described herein, the techniques relate to a window assembly further including a pane assembly having a pane, a hinge assembly having a friction hinge, a handle assembly having a connection bracket, and a latch assembly having a bushing received in a post, wherein the bushing has an outer edge having a frictional engagement with the post such that the post cannot be rotated without manual intervention.
In some aspects, broadly described herein, the techniques relate to a window assembly further including the exterior frame having a third flange and a fourth flange, the interior frame having a fifth flange, a sixth flange, and a seventh flange.
In some aspects, broadly described herein, the techniques relate to a window assembly wherein the third flange engages the interior frame, and the first flange and the second flange extend towards each other in alignment.
In some aspects, broadly described herein, the techniques relate to a window assembly further including the sixth flange extending between the first flange and the third flange.
In some aspects, broadly described herein, the techniques relate to a window assembly further including a shell having a shell opening, wherein the frame gasket is received over a circumferential edge over the shell opening.
In some aspects, broadly described herein, the techniques relate to a window assembly further including the fourth flange and the seventh flange engaging the shell below the frame gasket.
This has outlined, rather broadly, the features, advantages, solutions, and benefits of the disclosure in order that the description that follows may be better understood. Additional features, advantages, solutions, and benefits of the disclosure will be described in the following. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures and related operations for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions and related operation do not depart from the teachings of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features, together with further objects and advantages, will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying Figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the Figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure.
The disclosure described herein is directed to different aspects of a window assembly. The detailed description set forth below, in connection with the appended drawings, is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein may be practiced. These descriptions include specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the various concepts. It will be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring such concepts. As described herein, the use of the term “and/or” is intended to represent an “inclusive OR”, and the use of the term “or” is intended to represent an “exclusive OR”.
The disclosure is described herein with reference to certain aspects, iterations, embodiments, and examples but it is understood that the disclosure can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the aspects set forth herein. In particular, the disclosure is described herein in regards to a hunting blind or blind, but it is understood that the disclosure can be used in conjunction with an structure wherein a window assembly is conventionally presented, e.g., playhouse, etc. Additionally, elements described as being located on either the exterior frame can conversely be located on interior frame and vice versa.
Although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements or components, these elements or components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element or component from another. Hence, a first element discussed herein could be termed a second element without departing from the teachings of the present application. It is understood that actual systems or fixtures embodying the disclosure can be arranged in many different ways with many more features and elements beyond what is shown in the drawings. For the same or similar elements or features, the same reference numbers may be used throughout the disclosure.
It is to be understood that when an element or component is referred to as being “on” another element or component, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. Furthermore, relative terms such as “between”, “within”, “below”, and similar terms, may be used herein to describe a relationship of one element or component to another. It is understood that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the disclosure in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.
With reference to the Figures aspects of a window assembly 10 are shown according to the disclosure. The window assembly 10 comprises one or more of a frame assembly 12 having one or more of a frame gasket 14, an exterior frame 16, and an interior frame 18, and a pane assembly 20 having one or more of a pane gasket 22, a pane 24, a hinge assembly 26, a handle assembly 28, and a latch assembly 30. The frame assembly 12, in some aspects of the disclosure, is positioned within a shell opening 32 in a shell 34 of a blind 36. In still further aspects described further herein, the frame gasket 14 is positioned over a circumferential edge 38 of the shell opening 32 in the shell 34. The exterior frame 16 and the interior frame 18 are matingly connected to one another with the shell 34 positioned between the exterior frame 16 and the interior frame 18. When connected, the exterior frame 16 and the interior frame 18 compress the frame gasket 14 thereby forming a watertight and/or airtight seal between the window assembly 10 and the shell 34 while the frame assembly 12 remains independent of the shell 34 (i.e., meaning that the exterior frame 16 and the interior frame 18 are not affixed to the shell 34 by fasteners and/or adhesive). In this way, the stated objectives, among others, are achieved.
In yet further aspects, the frame gasket 14 has a generally “U” shape comprised of an exterior flange 40 and an interior flange 42 that extends from a gasket surface 44 extending between the exterior flange 40 and the interior flange 42. As seen in an illustrative aspect according to at least
In other aspects, as shown at least in
In still further aspects, as seen in at least
In an illustrative assembly, as seen in at least the depiction of
When the exterior frame 16 and the interior frame 18 are connected to one another, the first inner flange 52 of the exterior frame 16 engages the exterior facing surface 64 of the interior frame 18. The second middle flange 70 of the interior frame 18 extends between the first inner flange 52 and the first middle flange 54 of the exterior frame 16. In certain aspects, the second middle flange 70 is positioned further inward than the gasket surface 44 of the frame gasket 14 such that the second middle flange 70 engages the gasket surface 44 to maintain the position of the frame gasket such that the frame gasket 14 is prevented from dislodging from engagement with the shell 34. The first middle flange 54 of the exterior frame 16 engages and compresses the exterior flange 40 of the frame gasket 14 against the shell 34, whereas the third middle flange 72 each engages and compresses the interior flange 42 of the frame gasket 14. As this engagement is continuous around the entirety of the shell opening 32, a watertight and/or airtight seal is formed without the use of passing fasteners through the shell 34 or the use of adhesive. The first outer flange 56 and the second outer flange 74 engage the shell 34 below the frame gasket 14. As such, the frame assembly 12 is of two-piece construction that is independently connected with the shell 34.
In still other aspects of the present disclosure, as seen in at least
In still further aspects, as seen in at least
In yet further aspects, as seen in at least
In other aspects, the pane connection assembly 110 is comprised of one or more of a binding post 114, one or more of a washer 116, and one or more of a pane fastener 118, which in some particular aspects is a pan head screw. The pane fastener 118, in some aspects passes through the hinge 108 one side of the pane 24 and is received through the washer 116 and the binding post 114 on the other side of the pane 24 thereby securing the hinge 108 to the pane 24.
In further aspects, the frame connection assembly 112 is comprised of one or more of an interior hinge fastener 120 and an exterior hinge fastener 122, which in certain embodiments both are configured with thread rolling to better engage plastic and in still further aspects, are flat head screws. In some aspects, the interior hinge fastener 120 passes through the hinge 108 and into one of the plurality of frame connection openings 82 on the interior frame 18. In still other aspects, the exterior hinge fastener 122 is passed through the shell 34 and also into the same of the plurality of frame connection openings 82. In this way, the frame connection assembly 112 is more securely anchored, which is useful as the hinge assembly 26 is one of the few manipulatable elements of the disclosure.
In still other aspects, as shown in
In yet other aspects, as shown in
In an illustrative usage, each of the latch grip 134 are configured to extend over a path that the pane 24 travels when being opened or closed due to the connection with the hinge assembly 26. To open the window assembly 10, each of the latch grip 134 are rotated to not block the path the pane 24 travels. The presence of the hinge 108 being a friction hinge maintains the position of the pane 24 as it is opened so that a hunter does not need to hold the window assembly 10 open when aiming, using a call, or obtaining an entirely unobstructed view through the shell opening 32. To close the window assembly 10, the pane 24 is lowered and compressed against the pane gasket 22 and each of the latch grip 134 are rotated to prevent the pane 24 from moving. Due to the compression of the pane gasket 22, and particularly the cap 92, by the pane 24, a watertight and/or airtight seal is provided.
Therefore, a window assembly 10 has been provided that eliminates drilling fastener openings in a shell and the use of an adhesive to seal the window assembly; maintains a seal as a shell of a blind expands and contracts; provides a frame assembly that is independent (i.e., not directly affixed by a fastener or an adhesive) from a shell of a blind; is airtight and watertight; simplifies manufacture and repair; reduces the number of parts necessary for manufacture, and improves upon the art.
From the above discussion and accompanying figures and claims it will be appreciated that the window assembly 10 offers many advantages over the prior art. Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, modifications, and alterations can be made herein without departing from the technology of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. The scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular configurations of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification only expressly stated otherwise. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding configurations described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
The previous description of the disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
This application claims the benefit U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/297,373 filed Jan. 7, 2022, the contents of this applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63297373 | Jan 2022 | US |
