Screen system

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a screen system for supporting screening material to span a window opening of a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

The use of screening material is well known for enclosing spaces to restrict access of insects while maintaining some ventilation in the space. It is often desirable to open the windows in a vehicle to provide ventilation in warm weather however the annoyance of insects entering the vehicle must be endured.

Various prior patents have addressed the problem of supporting screening material to span the window opening of a vehicle as shown in the following examples including Steenburgh—U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,383, Hall—U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,586, Frisk—U.S. Pat. No. 2,722,978, Johnson—U.S. Des. Pat. No. 337,297, Sholtz—U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,616, Hess et al—U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,798 and finally Deuble—U.S. Pat. No. 2,914,123. In each instance however an awkward mounting mechanism is required for supporting the screening material on the vehicle which does not permit the screening material to be readily stored and subsequently applied across the window opening. Furthermore none of the prior art use of screening material on a vehicle permit the screen material to be well secured against wind from travel of the vehicle while having a proper finished appearance compatible with the trim on the vehicle.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a screen system for a vehicle having a window pane and a pair of window channels supported in an upright orientation with open sides of the window channels confronting one another for slidably receiving opposing upright edges of the window pane therein, the system comprising:

• • a screen member having a peripheral frame similar in contour to the window pane and screening material spanning the peripheral frame; and
  • a pair of screen channels for being supported adjacent the window channels respectively for slidably receiving opposing upright edges of the screen member therein.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of supporting screening material to span a window opening of a window in a vehicle comprising a window pane and a pair of window channels supported in an upright orientation with open sides of the window channels confronting one another for slidably receiving opposing upright edges of the window pane therein, the method comprising:

• • providing a screen member having a peripheral frame and screening material spanning the peripheral frame;
  • forming a contour of the peripheral frame similar to a contour of the window pane;
  • supporting a pair of screen channels upright and adjacent to the window channels respectively; and
  • slidably supporting opposing upright edges of the screen member in the pair of screen channels respectively for movement between an open position stored within the vehicle adjacent the window pane in an open position of the window pane and a closed position spanning the opening of the window.

The use of a screen channel in a first embodiment of the screen system, permits ready and quick storage or application of screening material to the window opening by a simple sliding action of the screen into the same storage compartment as the associated window pane of the vehicle. The surrounding channel of the existing window pane also receives the screen member therein to ensure the screening material is adequately secured against wind from travel of the vehicle.

There may be provided a pair of integral channel members, each integrally locating one of the window channels and one of the screen channels therein. Each channel member in this instance preferably includes a single rigid shell locating weather stripping material therein which divides the window channel and the screen channel.

Alternatively, each screen channel may be formed separately from the respective window channel adjacent which the screen channel is supported.

Each screen channel preferably includes a resilient lining which snugly engages the screen member therein.

There may be provided a pull tab connected along an upper edge of the peripheral frame.

The peripheral frame is preferably flat and generally planar in profile.

The method may include forming the screen channels separately from the existing window channels and subsequently attaching the screen channels to the window channels respectively.

Alternatively, the method may include supporting the screen channels adjacent the window channels by replacing weather stripping of the window channels with a replacement weather stripping forming both the screen channel and window channel therein.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a screen system for a vehicle having a window opening and a window pane slidable within a peripheral channel of the window opening between open and closed positions of the window pane, the system comprising:

• • a peripheral frame similar in shape to the window opening and larger in dimension than the window opening to overlap the peripheral channel about a periphery of the window opening;
  • screening material spanning the peripheral frame; and
  • clamps supported at spaced positions on the peripheral frame, each clamp comprising an axle extending through the frame which supports a knob on an inner side of the peripheral frame and a radial flange on an outer side of the peripheral frame, the knob and radial flange being rotatable with the axle relative to the peripheral frame;
  • the radial flange being parallel to and spaced from the peripheral frame for being selectively received in the peripheral channel of the window opening when the screening material spans the window opening.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of supporting screening material to span a window opening of a window of a vehicle comprising a window pane slidable within a peripheral channel of the window opening between open and closed positions of the window pane, the method comprising:

• • forming a peripheral frame similar in shape to the window opening and larger in dimension than the window opening;
  • supporting the screening material to span the peripheral frame;
  • providing clamps supported at spaced positions on the peripheral frame, each clamp comprising an axle extending through the frame which supports a knob on an inner side of the peripheral frame and a radial flange on an outer side of the peripheral frame;
  • overlapping the peripheral channel with the peripheral frame about a periphery of the window opening; and
  • rotating the knob and radial flange together with the axle of each clamp relative to the peripheral frame until the radial flanges are received in the peripheral channel of the window opening.

In this alternate embodiment, the configuration of the clamps permits the frame supporting the screening material thereon to be quickly and snugly applied about the full periphery of the window opening with a simple twisting action of the clamps.

A free end of each radial flange is preferably spaced outwardly in a longitudinal direction of the axle beyond a free end of the axle.

The frame is preferably sufficiently flexible to follow a curve of the vehicle body.

When each axle is slidably mounted in relation to the frame, the method may include biasing the radial flange towards the frame for clamping a portion of the peripheral channel of the window opening therebetween.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a peripheral frame supporting the screening material thereon;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the screen system illustrating both the peripheral frame supporting the screening material thereon and the window pane;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a first variation of the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a second variation of the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the peripheral frame supporting the screening material thereon in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are sectional views of the frame according to FIG. 5 shown mounted on the peripheral channel of the window opening with the clamps in the disengaged and engaged positions respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a screening system generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The system 10 is particularly suited for supporting screening material to span a window opening 12 typically found within the passenger door 14 of a vehicle.

The window opening 12 includes a peripheral channel 14 in the form of weather stripping including a slot therein, so as to be generally U-shaped in cross section for slidably receiving a glass window pane 16 therein which spans the window opening when the window is closed. A bottom edge of the window opening includes a through slot 18 through which the window pane 16 extends so that opposing side edges 20 of the window pane may be slidably received within respective window channels 22 within an interior of the door 14. The window channels are vertically orientated parallel and opposed from one another. Each channel is generally U-shaped in cross section having an open side which faces the opposing channel through which the window pane is received. The window channels each include a rigid outer shell portion 24 formed of metal and which is lined with a resilient weather stripping 26 which is also generally U-shaped in cross section. When the window is opened, the window pane is slidably received through the slot 18 along the bottom of the window opening to span between the window channels within the interior of the door.

While various embodiments of the screening system are shown in the accompanying figures, the common features of each wilt first be described herein. The system generally comprises a screen member 29 upon which screen material 30 is supported to span across a peripheral frame 32 of the screen member 29. The peripheral frame is cut from a flat sheet of material, for example Teflon™ or plastic and the like, so that the resulting frame 32 is generally at flat and planar having a thickness in the order of ⅛ of an inch or less. The material forming the frame 32 remains somewhat flexible to allow the screen to flex somewhat and follow the curved profile of the body of the vehicle. The frame 32 may be formed in layers which sandwiches the screen material therebetween so that the screening material spans a central opening formed in the frame. The outer shape of the frame 32 matches the shape of the window opening in profile while being only slightly larger in dimension in all directions to slightly overlap the peripheral channel 14 about the window opening about a full periphery thereof.

Turning now to FIGS. 1 through 3, the first embodiment will now be described in further detail. In this instance, the existing window channels 22 are replaced with a modified channel member 34 which supports one of the window channels 22 and a screen channel 36 integrally formed in the weather stripping 35 of the modified channel member 34. Each of the window channels 22 thus supports a screen channel 36 adjacent thereto in a side by side relationship with both channels being parallel and generally U-shaped in cross section with the open sides confronting the opposing channels.

A single rigid shell 38 is illustrated which includes the weather stripping 35 having both channels formed therein received within the single shell 38 of metal. The peripheral frame 32 includes opposing side edges 40 received within the two screen channels 36 respectively so as to be somewhat snug yet remain slidable therein.

The portion of the weather stripping 35 between the screen channel and window channel formed therein acts as a spacer between the channels and according between the window pane and the peripheral frame supporting the screening material thereon and is in the order of ⅛ of an inch or less so that both the peripheral frame of the screening member and the window pane can be received together within the peripheral channel of the window opening.

A pull tab 42 secured to a top edge of the peripheral frame permits the screening member to be manually raised to span the window opening in a closed position while snug fit of the frame within the screen channels permits the screen member to be raised and held frictionally in place. When opening, the peripheral frame of the screen member is simply lowered by sliding action within the screen channels so that the screen member is received through the slot 18 along the bottom of the window opening to be fully contained within the door 14.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, a variation of the first embodiment involves adding on to the existing window channels 22 by providing auxiliary screen channels 43 having their own separate rigid shell 44 receiving the weather stripping 45 forming the screen channel therein. Once the auxiliary channel 43 is mounted in place onto the existing window channels 22, a screen channel and a window channel are again provided in side by side relationship for operating identically to the first variation described in FIGS. 1 through 3 above. In each instance, the weather stripping provided is resilient and snugly received the screen member therein.

Turning now to a second embodiment of the screen system, FIGS. 5 through 7 illustrate a screen member in which the peripheral frame 32 is held against an inner side 46 of the window opening by suitable clamps 48. Two clamps 48 are provided spaced about the periphery of the frame 32 so that the clamps are diametrically opposed from one another to be received within opposing side edges of the peripheral channel 14 of the window opening.

Each clamp includes an axle 50 which is received perpendicularly through the frame to be rotational about, and slidable along, a longitudinal axis thereof in relation to the frame. A knob 52 of enlarged diameter is mounted on the inner end of the axle for movement and rotation with the axle. A retainer flange 54 is mounted at the outer end of the axle to extend radially outwardly in a single radial direction from the axle. The flange 54 lies generally perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the axle and includes an offset bend formed therein so that the free end of the flange is spaced outwardly in the longitudinal direction of the axle from the end of the axle to ensure that the free end, while being oriented parallel to the peripheral frame 32, remains spaced therefrom throughout sliding movement of the axle. A spring 56 is wrapped about the axle 50 to be compressed between the knob 52 at the inner end and the peripheral frame 32 so that compression force of the spring urges the knob away from the frame and thus urges the retainer flange 54 towards the frame. The spring may be compressed sufficiently to provide space between the flange 54 and the frame for receiving the inner side wall portion 58 of the peripheral channel about the window opening therebetween.

In order to mount the screen in place, the retainer flanges 54 are pivoted inwardly to provide clearance for the axles to pass through the window opening as the peripheral frame is overlapped about the inner side of the peripheral channel 14 of the window opening about a full periphery of the window opening. By holding the knobs 52 on an inner side, the springs 56 are compressed and the retainer flanges 54 are pivoted outwardly away from each other so as to be received within respective opposing side portions of the peripheral channel 14. Releasing the knobs results in compression force of the spring clamping the inner side wall portion 58 of the peripheral channel between the flanges and the frames. The retainer flanges are sufficiently thin to allow the window pane to remain slidable within the peripheral channel between raised and lowered positions.

While some embodiments of the present invention have been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention. The invention is to be considered limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.