WO2012093302A1

WO2012093302A1 - Screen

Info

Publication number: WO2012093302A1
Application number: PCT/IB2011/055808
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thabo Aubrey MOKWENA
Original assignee: Mokwena Technology Development (Pty) Limited
Priority date: 2011-01-04
Filing date: 2011-12-20
Publication date: 2012-07-12
Also published as: AP2012006056A0; ZA201109401B; CN103403287A

Abstract

This invention relates to an insect screen suitable for, but not limited to, screening a window, including a reversibly deformable support structure having outer surfaces for frictionally engaging inner surfaces of a window frame; and a woven material attached to the support structure.

Description

SCREEN

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a screen, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to an insect screen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Insect screens are well-known and widely used. In certain parts of the world, including parts of South Africa, warm and humid weather conditions are ripe for the breeding and proliferation of mosquitoes (Anopheles spp.) which is a known vector of the well known malaria parasite, Plasmodium spp.. The threat of malaria aside, mosquitoes and other flying insects are pests to human beings. Under hot weather conditions, many people prefer to keep windows open, typically at night, in order to allow movement of air into a room. Light and other heat sources attract insects, including mosquitoes into the house and these pests are a nuisance.

There are several products available to control insects, and in particular, mosquitoes. These products range from dermal repellent creams and sprays, to mosquito nets, electric pest repellents and poison spray canisters. It is also known to have insect screens that are placed across windows and doors. A disadvantage that may be associated with known insect screens are that these are made of rigid, typically aluminium/steel frames that require to be anchored to the window or door frame. In fitting, these may become permanent fixtures to the frame. The installation may require specialized tools and skills for installation. As such, this may be viewed as an unattractive product. In addition, market response to products may be favourable in respect of ready-to- use products that do not require skilled labour installation, as this may attract an added cost component.

Electric pest repellents may not be effective against small reptiles and may leave users at risk of invasion. In addition, these may not be suitable for use in some rural areas where electricity supply is unavailable.

Chemical-based repellents may be expensive and therefore inaccessible to lower income households. Further, the active ingredients in these products may be contra-indicated in users that have a sensitivity to these ingredients.

There is thus a need in the market for a user installable insect screen that addresses the disadvantages mentioned hereinabove.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an insect screen that at least partially overcomes the abovementioned disadvantages associated with the prior art.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a useful alternative insect screen relative to the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided an insect screen suitable for, but not limited to, screening a window, including - a reversibly deformable support structure having outer surfaces for fractionally engaging inner surfaces of a window frame; and

- a woven material attached to the support structure. The support structure may be in the form of a frame, having two sets of parallel, opposed side members, each member of each set joined to the other at their upper and lower ends. The support structure may alternatively be suitably shaped to mirror the shape of any window frame to which the screen is to be applied.

The support structure may be made from any suitable material, including, but not limited to any suitable polymer material, including rubber, polystyrene, finely woven steel material, cotton batting and the like. The screen may have a flange located on and extending about the periphery of the support structure, and extending in an upwardly, outwardly configuration, thereby providing additional screening of gaps located between the screen and the window frame. The flanges may be integrally moulded as part of the support structure, or alternatively may be removably securable thereto using a suitable fastener, such as hook and loop fasteners.

The screen may in the alternative be used to screen a door or any access to a dwelling.

The screen may further include one or more engaging members attached to the support structure for securing the support structure to the window frame. The engaging members may be in the form of a clip having opposed legs for engaging an exposed lip of the window frame. Each clip may have a screw for releasably securing the clip to the lip. Preferably, the clip may be centrally located on the longer pair of opposed side members for engagement with the lip.

The woven material may comprise square shaped apertures. The size of the square shaped apertures may be less than 1.5mm² in aperture diameter. In another embodiment of the invention, the woven material may comprise circular shaped apertures. The radius of the circular shaped apertures may be 1 mm. In a further embodiment of the invention, the woven material may comprise oval shaped apertures.

There is further provided, according to the invention, for a method of preventing insects from crossing an access to a dwelling, including the steps of providing an insect screen as hereinabove described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 : is an isometric view of an insect screen according to the invention;

FIGURE 2: is an exploded isometric view of the insect screen of Figure 1 , showing one embodiment of means of attachment to a window;

FIGURE 3: is an isometric view of the insect screen of Figure 2 in an installed position; FIGURE 4: is an isometric view of the insect screen according to the invention, showing the preferred means of attachment to a window frame; and FIGURE 5: is cross-sectional side view of the insect screen of Figure 4, showing the insect screen in use and as attached to a window frame, and further illustrating a close-up view of one point of attachment, also in cross-sectional side view. FIGURE 6: is an isometric view of the insect screen of Figure 2, showing attached flange according to a further aspect of the invention; and

FIGURE 7: is a cross-sectional side view of the insect screen of Figure 6, also showing the insect screen in use and as attached to a window frame, illustrating detail on the configuration of the flange.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, like numerals refer to like parts, unless otherwise indicated.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 , reference numeral 10 generally refers to an insect screen according to the present invention. The insect screen 10 consists of a reversibly deformable support structure 12 which is adapted to fit onto a window frame 18 onto which the insect screen 10 is to be installed, as can be more clearly seen in Figure 2.

The support structure 12 comprises two pairs of parallel, opposed, elongate, members, joined in head to tail fashion at 90° orientations to each other, collectively to define a substantially rectangular shape at rest. The support structure 12 is made of a polystyrene compound and is reversibly deformable on application of a force. Removal of the force will result in the support structure substantially reassuming its rest shape. The support structure defines an outside surface 13 for frictional engagement with window frame 18. At the opposite side to the outside surface 13 of each elongate member is an inside surface 15, as seen more clearly in Figure 4.

The inside surface 15 is connected to a woven material 14 which spans the area defined by the inside surfaces 15 of each elongate member. The woven material 14 consists of a plurality of apertures 22, and is made from a series of polymer plastic threads in a warp and weft configuration, to define an air permeable surface. In a preferred embodiment, the apertures 22 have a square shape (as shown in Figure 1 ). In other embodiments, considered to fall within the scope of this disclosure, apertures 22 may alternatively be circular in shape or oval in shape (not shown in the figures). The size of apertures 22 in the preferred embodiment is 1.5 mm² in size. This allows maximum flow or passage of air into the room, whilst blocking the passage of flying insects, and in particular mosquitoes. It is foreseen that the insect screen 10 would also be effective against small reptiles such as lizards and the like.

Alternate embodiments of the invention having circular shaped apertures 22 (not shown) would preferably have an aperture radius of 1 mm. As in the preferred embodiment, the aforesaid aperture size would facilitate passage of air into a room, whilst keeping pests at bay.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, which shows the preferred embodiment of the invention, the support structure 12 has two engaging means 16(a) centrally disposed on and located on opposite sides of the longer of the pairs of elongate members of support structure 12. Each engaging means 16(a) has an embedded base from which two opposed and exposed limbs having grip formations 17(a) extend upwardly from the outside surface 13, tapering towards each other. One of the opposed grip formations 17(a) has a centrally disposed screw and screw threaded bore (collectively shown as 17(b)) for frictionally engaging an exposed lip 19 of the window frame 18. In the context of this specification, the term "exposed lip" is intended to mean any lip of the window frame 18 that is available for engagement with engaging means 16(a), whether an external or internal (relative to the dwelling) lip of the window frame 18. It will be appreciated that the invention need not have two (or one pair of) engaging means 16(a), and any number of engaging means 16(a), depending on the size of the window frame, can be used in a spaced apart arrangement (not shown).

Referring now to Figures 1 , 2 and 3, in an alternate embodiment of the invention, engaging means 16(b) is provided instead of engaging means 16(a). Engaging means 16(b) comprises a window-based screw-threaded bore 24, independently attached to window frame 18. Screw-threaded bore 24 is for receiving screw 28, the head of which engages recess 26 located at several spaced apart locations on support structure 12.

The screw forming part of screw and screw-threaded bore, and indeed screw 28 need not be of the conventional variety requiring a screwdriver in order to be driven into the screw-threaded bore. Although not shown, instead these screws can be preferably thumb screws that are capable of being driven by hand.

With reference to Figure 6, the Applicant herein appreciates the existence of non-standard sized window frames. Consequently, insect screen 10 may be inadequately sized relative to the window frame 18 in that either the horizontal or vertical (but not both) side thereof may terminate short of the required size of the window frame 18. The result of this is that one or more gaps (not shown) may exist between insect screen 10 and window frame 18, thereby allowing passage of pests (not shown) into a room (not shown). In order to counter this, reversibly deformable flange 30 is located on and extends about the periphery of support structure 12. Preferably, flange 30 is integrally moulded as part of support structure 12 and additionally extends from a side of support structure 12 in an upwardly and outwardly direction relative to the support structure 12, terminating in an abutment end 32 for abutting an adjacent surface such as window frame 18 or an adjoining wall. Although shown in Figure 7 as terminating on the external lip of frame 18, it will be appreciated that the flange 30 may terminate on either the external or internal respective lips of frame 18, or indeed, where such conditions may require, on either the internal or external adjoining wall to frame 18.

In an alternative embodiment, flanges 30 are removably secured to support structure 12 using hook and loop fasteners (not shown). In use, the insect screen 10 is attached to window frame 18 (having an opening, not shown, in an opened configuration), using frictional engagement of the outside surface 13 of the support structure 12 to window frame 18. In addition, engaging means 16 provides additional support to the support structure 12 for releasably engaging support structure 12 to window frame 18. Woven material 14, through its apertures 22, allows movement of air across either side of insect screen 10. In this way, insects (not shown) and other small pests (not shown) are denied access to the dwelling (not shown) via an open window (also not shown). Flange 30 is positioned about the opening defined by the window frame and engages same, thereby preventing inadvertent access of pests through gaps that may exist between the support structure 12 and the window frame 18.

It will be appreciated that the reversibly deformable support structure 12 can be located onto a window frame through burglar proofing (not shown) by manually deforming same to fit through spaces defined by the burglar bar (not shown) and onto window frame 18. It will be further appreciated that the insect screen is portable in its inherent nature and can easily be used in more than one dwelling, as the user may require.

Although certain forms of the invention only have been described herein, it will be understood by any person skilled in the art that other modifications or variations of the invention are possible. For example, engaging means 16 need not be limited to the embodiments described herein, but can be extended to include a cork and screw arrangement, a nut and bolt arrangement, press studs and other similar removably securable engaging means. In addition, the support structure may be made of rubber and other forms of reversibly deformable polymers, finely woven steel material, cotton batting contained within a material envelope and suitably sealed, and the like. Further, the insect screen 10 need not be exclusively applied to a window frame, and can be applied to any access to a dwelling, including a door frame. Such modifications and/or variations are therefore to be considered as falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as herein described.

Claims

An insect screen suitable for, but not limited to, screening a window, including:

a reversibly deformable support structure having outer surfaces for frictionally engaging inner surfaces of a window frame; and

a woven material attached to the support structure.

The insect screen as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support structure is in the form of a frame, having two sets of parallel, opposed side members, each member of each set joined to the other at their upper and lower ends.

The insect screen as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support structure is suitably shaped to mirror the shape of any window frame to which the insect screen is to be applied.

The insect screen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support structure is made from any suitable material, including, but not limited to any suitable polymer material, rubber, polystyrene, finely woven steel material, cotton batting and the like.

The insect screen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the insect screen has a flange located on and extending about the periphery of the support structure, and extending in an upwardly, outwardly configuration, thereby providing additional screening of gaps located between the screen and the window frame.

6. The insect screen as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flange is reversibly deformable and integrally moulded as part of the support structure.

7. The insect screen as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flange is removably securable to the support structure using a suitable fastener.

8. The insect screen as claimed in claim 7, wherein the fastener is a hook and loop fastener.

The insect screen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the screen is used to screen a door or any other access to a dwelling.

The insect screen as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the insect screen includes one or more engaging members attached to the support structure for securing the support structure to the window frame.

11. The insect screen as claimed in claim 10, wherein the engaging members are in the form of a clip having opposed legs for engaging an exposed lip of the window frame.

The insect screen as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the clip has a screw for releasably securing the clip to the lip

The insect screen as claimed in claim 12, wherein the clip is centrally located on the longer pair of opposed side members for engagement with the lip.

14. The insect screen as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the woven material comprises square shaped apertures

15. The insect screen as claimed in claim 14, wherein the size of the square shaped apertures is less than 1.5mm² in aperture diameter. 16. The insect screen as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the woven material comprises circular shaped apertures, having a radius of 1 mm.

17. The insect screen as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the woven material comprises oval shaped apertures.

18. An insect screen substantially as herein described and exemplified, and/or described with reference to the accompanying figures.

19. A method of preventing insects from crossing an access to a dwelling, including the steps of providing an insect screen as described herein.