AU2012206988B2 - Screen assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a screen assembly (10) having a frame formed of elongated frame members (12, 14, 16 and 18) having ends connectable together by corner stakes (17) to form an opening (20) for receiving one or more panels (22) of a mesh material. The panels have edge portions (24) and the frame members have opposed side walls (46) and a bottom wall configured to define an open channel (30) with a mouth facing the opening. Each edge portion of the one or more panels is received in an insert strip (26) of a polymeric material having foldable sides(28,30) which can be positioned between an open position for receiving the edge portion of the corresponding panel and an engaged position for engaging the edge portion. The panels with the insert strips positioned on the corresponding edge portions are located in the open channels of the corresponding frame members by either insertion through ends thereof or positioning through their mouths. The ends are connected to form the opening, and the insert strips are configured so that the edge portions therein are spaced from the frame members when located in the open channels. Compatible inter-engaging members (42 and 50) may be formed on one or both of the sides and on one or more faces of said open channels for limiting relative transverse movement therebetween when the insert strips are in the channels. The assembly may have removable retention members (54) configured for retaining said insert strips in the corresponding open channels. z 16 Fig. 1

Description

1 SCREEN ASSEMBLY TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] THIS INVENTION relates to a screen assembly for an opening in a building, and in particular but not limited thereto, to a security screen assembly for a door or window opening in a building. BACKGROUND [0002] Screens are used in door and window openings of buildings to prevent entry of insects and other wind blown materials, and to prevent unauthorised entry. These screens have one or more panels of a metallic mesh material for preventing unauthorised entry to a building as well as to prevent insect entry. The screens are fixed in a frame. [0003] Security products on the market for this type of product fall into 3 different categories. A first category uses a screw or rivet clamp to fix the mesh material in frames. Products of the first category have problems with cross contamination of metals. A second category uses a wedge system to fix the screen material in frames. Products of the second category have several disadvantages in that it cannot be taken apart, and the mesh material tends to bow. Products of the second category can also finish out of square. A third category uses glue to fix the mesh material to the frames and then another section is glued on top of it. Products of the third category can be easily broken into.

2 OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION [0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a screen assembly which alleviates or reduces to a certain level one or more of the prior art disadvantages. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] In one aspect therefore the present invention resides in a screen assembly comprising a frame formed of elongated frame members having ends connectable together to form an opening for receiving one or more panels of a mesh material. Said one or more panels are formed with edge portions. Each said frame member has opposed side walls and a bottom wall configured to define an open channel with a mouth facing said opening. Each edge portion of the one or more panels is received in an insert strip of a polymeric material having foldable sides which can be positioned between an open position for receiving the edge portion of the corresponding panel and an engaged position for engaging the edge portion, and at least one of said sides of the insert strip and the corresponding channel having interconnecting components configured to receive the insert in position within corresponding frame members. The one or more panels with the insert strips positioned on the corresponding edge portions are located in the open channels of the corresponding frame members by either insertion through ends thereof or positioning through said mouths. Said ends are connected to form said opening, and the insert strips are configured so that the edge portions therein are spaced from the frame members when located in the open channels, and a retaining member placed into the open channel against the side wall of the insert so that there is no lateral movement of the insert located therein.

3 [0006] Each insert strip has opposed foldable sides configured to be adjacent to respective side walls when located in the corresponding channel, and the sides form an interior space there between for receiving a said edge portion. [0007] Each insertion strip may have adhesive means for fixing a corresponding edge portion of the one or more panels in the interior space. [0008] Compatible inter-engaging members may be formed on one or both of the sides and on one or more faces of said open channels for limiting relative transverse movement therebetween when the insert strips are in the channels. [0009] The assembly may have removable retention members configured for retaining said insert strips in the corresponding open channels. Each retention member is adapted to be liftable from said corresponding channel. [0010] The assembly may have compatible locking members on one face of each open channel and on each retention member, and the locking members are adapted to be in a locked position when the retention member is in the open channel. The retention members may be formed of a resilient material so that they can be pressed to move from said locked position and be lifted from said open channel for removal. [0011] The adhesive means may be in the form of double sided adhesive tapes for adhering to both sides of the edge potions and the faces of the channels of the frame members. [0012] As the insert strips are placed on the edge portions, the assembly is ensured that this part of the finished product is square and that the one or more panels of mesh 4 material are flat before assembling the external aluminium frame members around the mesh and inserts. [0013] The retention members or bungs push the insulating inserts and the mesh into the channels on a locked position thereby preventing the mesh from being removed. [0014] The assembly can easily be disassembled by removing the bung, removing the frame members by opening the sides of the foldable insert strips and remove the mesh. The frame members and the mesh and the insert strips can be reused or cut to a new size for a new assembly. [0015] In order that the present invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] Figure 1 is an exploded plan view of the main components for an embodiment of the screen assembly according to the present invention; [0017] Figure 2 is a cut-away partial section view of a corner of the installed assembly shown of Figure 1; [0018] Figure 3 shows a partial view of the foldable insert of the assembly shown in Figure 2; 5 [0019] Figure 4 shows a steel mesh being placed to engage the foldable insert shown in Figure 3; [0020] Figure 5 shows the foldable insert folded of Figure 4 in the engaged position; [0021] Figure 6 is a partial view of the embodiment of the fully assembled security screen assembly; and [0022] Figure 7 shows the steps in disassembling the embodiment of the security screen assembly. DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS [0023] Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure 1, there is illustrated the main components of an embodiment of the security screen assembly 10 according to the present invention. The assembly 10 has opposed side frame members 12 and 14, an upper frame member 16 and a lower frame member 18 to be connected by connection stakes 17 to form an opening 20 in which a panel 22 of a steel mesh material is to be positioned. Edge portions 24 (see Figure 2) of the steel mesh panel 22 are received within foldable inserts 26 of a polymeric material. [0024] As shown more clearly in Figure 3, each of the foldable inserts 26 has a first side wall 28 and a second side wall 30, which are foldable about a web portion 32. Double sided adhesive tapes 34 and 36 are respectively fixed to inner faces 38 and 40 of the side walls 30 and 28. The side wall 28 has spaced ridges 42 which form parts of an interconnecting components.

6 [0025] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the side walls 28, 30 are movable between an open position (see Figures 3 and 4), and a closed position (see Figure 5). In the closed position, the adhesive tapes 34 and 36 are fixed to the edge portion 24 of the panel 22. The inserts 26 with the panel 22 received therein are then positionable for locating within the frame members 12 to 18. [0026] As shown in Figure 2, each of the frame members 12 to 18 has a hollow tubular section 44 and an open channel section 46. The tubular section is for receiving a connection stake and the open channel section is for receiving an edge portion of a panel 22 of a screen. As shown in Figure 6, ends of the inserts 26 are mitred so that they are square when the adjacent inserts are in abutment. [0027] Returning to Figure 2, each one of the frame members12, 14, 16 and 18 as shown has a tubular section 44 and an open channel section 46. An inner face 48 in the open channel section 46 has spaced grooves 50 configured to receive the spaced ridges 42 of the inserts 26 which form the other part of the interconnecting components. The interconnecting components 42 and 50 allow the frame members to slide onto the panel 22 and lock the inserts 26 in position within corresponding frame members. In this embodiment the width of the open channel in the channel section 46 of each of the frame members 12 to 18 is sufficiently wide so that the inserts 26 on the panel 22 can be located through the mouth of each channel section. A retaining member or bung 52 placed into the open channel section and against the side wall 30 of the insert 26 so that there is no lateral movement of the insert 26 located therein. The retaining members 52 have a lateral flange 54 at one end thereof and a raised part 56 on its face opposing the inner face of the open channel section 46.

7 [0028] As shown in Figure 7, the inner face of the channel section 46 has a longitudinal dent 58 shaped to receive the raised part 56 of the insert 26. The flange 54 is exposed and it can be pressed to deflect from the position shown in the uppermost drawing in Figure 7. When it is deflected the raised part can be moved over the dent 58 so that the retaining member 52 can be pulled from the open channel section 46 to allow the insert 26 to move laterally away from the groove 50 for removal from the frame member as shown in the second to fourth drawings in Figure 7. Upon removal, the side walls of the insert can be opened to remove the panel 22 should it needs to be replaced as shown in the fifth drawing in Figure 7. [0029] Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention many variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as herein set forth in the following claims.

Claims (12)

1. A screen assembly comprising a frame formed of elongated frame members having ends connectable together to form an opening for receiving one or more panels of a mesh material, said one or more panels being formed with edge portions, and each said frame member having opposed side walls and a bottom wall configured to define an open channel with a mouth facing said opening; each edge portion of the one or more panels is received in an insert strip of a polymeric material having foldable sides which can be positioned between an open position for receiving the edge portion of the corresponding panel and an engaged position for engaging the edge portion, at least one of said sides of the insert strip and the corresponding channel having interconnecting components configured to receive the insert in position within corresponding frame members, the one or more panels with the insert strips positioned on the corresponding edge portions being located in the open channels of the corresponding frame members by either insertion through ends thereof or positioning through said mouths, said ends being connected to form said opening, and the insert strips being configured so that the edge portions therein are spaced from the frame members when located in the open channels and a retaining member placed into the open channel against the side wall of the insert so that there is no lateral movement of the insert located therein.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein each insert strip has opposed foldable sides configured to be adjacent to respective side walls when located in the corresponding channel, and the sides form an interior space there between for receiving a corresponding edge portion. 9

3. The assembly according to claim 1 or 2 wherein each insert strip has adhesive means for fixing a corresponding edge portion of the one or more panels in the interior space.

4. The assembly according to claim 3 wherein the adhesive means are in the form of double sided adhesive tapes for adhering to both sides of the edge potions and corresponding faces of the channels of the frame members.

5. The assembly according to any one of claim 2 to 4 wherein the interconnecting components comprise compatible inter-engaging members formed on one or both of the sides and on one or more faces of the open channels for limiting relative transverse movement therebetween when the insert strips are in the channels.

6. The assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the retaining member comprises removable retention members configured for retaining said insert strips in the corresponding open channels.

7. The assembly according to claim 6 wherein each retention member is adapted to be liftable from said corresponding channel.

8. The assembly according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the interconnecting components comprise compatible locking members on one face of each open channel and on each retention member, and the locking members are adapted to be in a locked position when the retention member is in the open channel.

9. The assembly according to any one of claims 6 to 8 wherein the retention members are adapted for pushing the inserts and the one or more panels in the 10 channels to a locked position thereby preventing the one or more panels from being removed.

10. The assembly according to claim 9 wherein the retention members are formed of a resilient material so that they can be pressed to move from said locked position and be lifted from said open channel for removal.

11. The assembly according to claim 10 wherein following moving the retention members from said locked position, the frame members can be disconnected and the one or more panels can be removed by opening the sides of the foldable inserts.

12. A screen assembly substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.