AU2008200245B2

AU2008200245B2 - Window winder

Info

Publication number: AU2008200245B2
Application number: AU2008200245A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Graeme Byrne; David Li
Original assignee: PACIFIC ENTPR AUST Pty Ltd
Current assignee: PACIFIC ENTERPRISES (AUST) Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2001-10-18
Filing date: 2008-01-17
Publication date: 2010-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 2021-10-18
Also published as: AU2008200245A1; AU2008200245C1; AU8143201A

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Invention Title: WINDOW WINDER 2107166 004.DOC WINDOW WINDER This invention relates to a window winder that uses a chain connected to a hinged window such that varying the length of the chain varies the degree of 5 openness of the window. The invention is particularly relevant to lockable window winders but is not limited to such. Generally, such mechanisms are used on windows, which are pivotally hinged at a top portion with the window winder being attached to the windowsill and a 10 chain extending from and attached to a bottom portion of the window so that it is able to pivot outwards around the top hinge. A particular problem associated with window winders of this kind, is the difficulty in securing such a window. An undue pulling force applied directly to 15 the bottom part of a window causes excessive tensile forces in the opener mechanism, resulting in a skipping of the chain relative to the mechanism. The drive mechanism may even break. Also a steady application of force directly on the window may merely operate the gearing associated with the chain in reverse to the intended activating direction. In this way, providing an outward force on the 20 window will pull out the chain and open the window due to a free wheeling of the rotatable drive mechanism. A proposed solution to this problem is to use a worm drive, which is a high ratio gearing. However, this has the substantial disadvantage of requiring an 25 excessive number of turns of the operating handle to achieve significant movement of the window. Another problem is a constructional problem where the prior art winders require a plurality of cast metal parts and plurality of plastic pars. The structure is 30 generally complex and makes it difficult and expensive to construct and to repair or relocate.

An object of the invention is to provide a substantially improved window winder that provides lockable characteristics, overcomes at least some of the problems of the prior art, and provides a cost effective and readily useable apparatus. Another object of the invention is to provide a substantially improved window 5 winder structure that overcomes at least some of the problems of the prior art and provides a cost effective and readily useable apparatus. According to the invention there is provided a window winder having a housing with an open bottom cavity and a closing plate to close the cavity; wherein 10 the housing is mould constructed or cast as a single outerbody with the open bottom cavity for receiving a chain or linear cord, a side opening allowing the chain or cord to extend out of the housing when attachable to a window such that the amount of chain or cord extending out of the housing varies the openness of the attached window, and the window winder including a drive means including a 15 worm gear connectable to a handle at one side and to a cog means for engaging and driving the chain or cord at the other and able to be received substantially within the cavity of the housing with the handle connected on an outer side for selectively driving the chain or cord in or out of the housing; the window winder further including a locking means including a detect means for preventing the chain from 20 being further extended from the housing and including an activation means, such as a key lock, which activates the detent means, the activation means including a sliding member; and the closing plate being substantially planar to provide a substantially closed window winder structure. 25 Therefore there is provided a lockable window winder including a housing for securing to a window ledge; a chain extending out of the housing and attachable to the openable window; a drive means for varying the length of the chain extending out of the housing in order to vary the degree of the opening of the window; a locking means including a detent means for directly engaging the chain and 30 preventing the chain from being further extended from the housing. 2 The window winder can have the locking means with a key lock for effecting movement of the detent means between a lockable and unlockable position. The detent means preferably includes a wedge for wedging into the links of a 5 chain to prevent the chain from being further extended from the housing. In another form the detent means can include a clamp for clamping onto the chain preventing the chain from being further extended from the housing. The detent means can include an activation means, which activates or positions 10 the detent means. The activation means could include a slide bar slidable at an angle to the operation of the detent means and having complementary cam surfaces. Preferably, the chain extends in at least part of a loop in a chain channel within the housing, the activation means is mounted within the loop of the chain, and the 15 detent means extends outwards to engage an inner surface of the chain. The invention also provides a lockable window winder having an elongated housing and a chain extending in an elongated channel within the housing and out of an opening and connectable to a window the window winder including a detent 20 means having a detent member able to engage the chain at a predetermined position in the housing to prevent movement of the chain; and further including locking means able to be selectively operated between first and second states, wherein the first state the detent means is effected to move the detent member into engagement with the chain at the predetermined position and wherein the second state the detent 25 means is effected to move the detent member out of engagement with the chain and allow movement of the chain. The detent member can be mounted in the housing and the detent means include a resilient member which urges the detent member into a position 30. corresponding with one of the first or second states of the locking means with the locking means requiring an active force to move the detent member into a position 3 corresponding with the other of the first or second states. The detent means can include a cam surface which coacts with a device bar having a drive surface engaging the cam surface so that movement of the drive bar in one direction moves the detent member in another direction between a chain engaging and disengaging 5 positions. The locking means can include a key lock having a rotating pin that engages the drive bar such that rotation of the key lock causes reciprocal motion of the drive bar to move the detent member into chain engaging and disengaging positions. The 10 detent member preferably engages the chain in a predetermined position spaced from the drive means driving the movement of the chain. The invention also provides a window winder having a housing and a closing plate wherein only the housing needs to be mould constructed or cast, the housing 15 including an open cavity with a defined channel for receiving a chain or linear cord, a side opening allowing the chain or cord to extend out of the housing and to be attachable to a window such that the amount of chain or cord extending out of the housing varies the openness of the window, and the housing able to receive a drive means for selectively driving the chain or cord in or out of the housing; and the 20 closing plate being substantially planar or curved such that it can be formed by press metal construction techniques and able to close the open cavity of the housing to provide a substantially closed window winder structure. The housing can include a plurality of depths of cavity such that from the outer 25 side of the housing there is a raised portion able to house at least part of the driving means. This raised portion of the housing can include at least part of a locking means. The drive means can include a handle connected to a worm gear, which is 30 connectable to a cog means for engaging and driving the chain or cord. The drive means can include a block mount with a top opening extending from a top side and 4 of a first dimension and an internal cavity extending from a side opening and having a second larger dimension; and the worm gear can include a spiral; thread and at an end distal from the end attaching to the handle have a head of a dimension greater than the first dimension but at least slightly less than the second dimension 5 and a neck at least slightly less than the first dimension, herein the worm gear can be slid into the block mount to capture the head in the internal cavity thereby mounting the worm gear while allowing rotational movement of the worm gear. To more fully describe the invention, an embodiment will now be described 10 with reference to the following drawings. The drawings, however, are merely illustrative of how the invention might be put into effect and the specific form and arrangement of features shown is not to be understood as limiting on the drawings. In the drawings: 15 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a housing for a window winder according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the internal mechanisms of the lockable window winder of Figure 1 with the top of the housing removed. Figure 3 is an overhead plan view of the internal mechanisms of the lockable 20 window winder of Figure 1 with the top of the housing removed. Figure 4 is a partial overhead plan view of the internal mechanisms of the lockable window winder of Figure 1 in an unlocked position. Figure 5 is a partial overhead plan view of the internal mechanisms of the lockable window winder of Figure lin a locked position. 25 Figure 6 is a partial overhead plan view of the internal construction of the lockable window winder of Figure 1. Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the internal mechanisms of the handle for a lockable window winder of Figure lor a non-lockable window winder of Figure 9. Figure 8A, 8B & 8C are partial views of the internal mechanisms of the handle of 30 Figure 7. 5 Figure 9 is a perspective view of a housing for a non-lockable window winder according to the invention. Figure 10 is a perspective view of the internal mechanisms of the non-lockable window winder of Figure 9 with the top of the housing removed. 5 Referring to the drawings there is shown a window winder 12 according to the invention comprising a housing 14 which is substantially box-like having a width narrow enough to be mounted readily on a windowsill. Within the housing 14 is a coiled chain 26 able to extend out an opening 41 at one side end of the housing 14 and by means of fastening plate 51 at the end of the chain is attached to the 10 window. In this way, varying lengths of chain 16 extending out of the opening 41 alter the degree of openness of the attached window. The window winder 12 further includes a drive means 21 including a winder handle 18 connected to gearing which is able to move the chain 26 within the coiled 15 path within the housing 14. A loose end of the coiled chain 26 therefore protrudes out of the opening 41 to provide the workable function while the other end slides within a chain channel 50 defined within the housing 14 by an internal channel wall 49 and the internal side of the housing 14. The internal channel wall 49 extends parallel to the internal side of the housing 14 for a substantial portion of the housing 20 with at one end a curved portion leading from the opening 41 and at the other end of the housing a U shape to allow the chain channel 50 to continue down the other side of the housing and form a coiled chain 16 To control the degree that the window is open, a locking means is incorporated 25 including a key lock 19 and a detent means 31, which directly engages the coil chain 26 within the housing 14 to prevent the chain from being extended further from the housing 14. The key lock 19 is accessible from outside of housing in a raised portion 16 of the housing 14 to accommodate the locking means and on the same side as the drive handle 18. The key lock 19 interacts with the detent means 30 31. 6 The detent means 31 comprises a detent member 32 in the form of a wedge 34, and a slide bar 33. The slide bar 33 is mounted in a central cavity 52 formed by the chain channel wall 49. The wedge 34 extends laterally across the housing 14 with one end able to engage directly the chain links 26 to prevent the chain being able to 5 proceed past the wedge 39. The other end of the wedge 34 engages a spring 35 so as to provide a bias into the engaging position. The slide bar 33 includes engagement recesses, which are able to engage a protrusion on the key lock 19 such that rotation of the key lock 19 and the 10 protrusion will provide movement of the slide bar 33in a longitudinal direction relative to the length of the housing 14 within the central cavity 52. The wedge34 includes an upper cam surface 38 spaced from the wedging point. A complementary leading cam surface 39 is provided adjacent a leading 15 tongue 40 on the slide bar 33. The leading cam surface 39 is angled and contacts the upper cam surface 38 of the detent member 32. The raised cam surface 38 of the detent member 32 is able to engage the cam surface 39 of the slide bar 33 such that the key lock 19 in an unlocked position will slide the slide bar 33 longitudinally towards the wedge 34 so that the slide bar cam surface 39 engages 20 with the cam surface 38 of the detent member 32 to move the detent member 32 and its wedging point 34 out of engagement with the chain 26 against the action of the spring 35 as shown in Figure 4. This allows movement of the chain 26 within and out of the housing 14 when the drive means 31 is activated by the drive handle 18. 25 When the key lock 19 is changed to a locked position as shown in Figure 5, the slide bar 33 slides longitudinally away from the detent member 32, disengaging the cam surface 39 of the slide bar 33from the cam surface 38 of the detent member 32 and allowing the spring means 35 to bias the detent member 32 being the wedge 34 30 into engagement with the chain links 26 to prevent movement of the chain 26. 7 Referring to the drawings and particularly Figure 6, which discloses a housing for a lockable window winder that can be substantially formed as a single mould by including a channel integral with the housing. Figure 10 shows a housing for a non-lockable window winder that can be substantially formed as a single mould by 5 including a channel integral with the housing. The window winder has a housing 14 and a closing plate (not shown) wherein only the housing 14 needs to be mould constructed or cast, the housing 14 including an open cavity 52 with a defined channel 50 for receiving a chain 26 or linear cord, a side opening 41 allowing the chain 26 or cord to extend out of the housing 14 and to be attachable to a window 10 such that the amount of chain 26 or cord extending out of the housing 14 varies the openness of the window. The housing is able to receive a drive means 21 for selectively driving the chain 26 or cord in or out of the housing 14. The closing plate is substantially planar but could be curved such that it can be formed by press metal construction techniques and able to close the open cavity of the housing to 15 provide a substantially closed window winder structure. The housing 14 includes a plurality of depths of cavity such that from the outer side of the housing there is a raised portion 16 able to house at least part of the driving means 21. This raised portion 16 of the housing can include at least part of 20 a locking means 19. The drive means as shown in Figures 7 and 8A-C includes a handle 18 connected to a worm gear, which is connectable to a cog means for engaging and driving the chain or cord. The drive means can include a block mount with a top 25 opening extending from a top side and of a first dimension and an internal cavity extending from a side opening and having a second larger dimension; and the worm gear can include a spiral; thread and at an end distal from the end attaching to the handle have a head of a dimension greater than the first dimension but at least slightly less than the second dimension and a neck at least slightly less than the first 30 dimension, herein the worm gear can be slid into the block mount to capture the 8 head in the internal cavity thereby mounting the worm gear while allowing rotational movement of the worm gear. It will be appreciated that a person skilled in the art will understand that 5 variations of the above can be readily envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention and such are included within the scope of the following claims. 9

Claims

1. A window winder having a housing with an open bottom cavity and a closing plate to close the cavity; wherein the housing is mould constructed or cast as a single outerbody with the open bottom cavity for receiving a chain or linear cord, a side 5 opening allowing the chain or cord to extend out of the housing when attachable to a window such that the amount of chain or cord extending out of the housing varies the openness of the attached window, and the window winder including a drive means including a worm gear connectable to a handle at one side and to a cog means for engaging and driving the chain or cord at the other and able to be received 10 substantially within the cavity of the housing with the handle connected on an outer side for selectively driving the chain or cord in or out of the housing; the window winder further including a locking means including a detect means for preventing the chain from being further extended from the housing and including an activation means, such as a key lock, which activates the detent means, the activation means 15 including a sliding member; and the closing plate being substantially planar to provide a substantially closed window winder structure.

2. A window winder in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the locking means includes the detent means directly engaging the chain and preventing the chain from 20 being further extended from the housing.

3. A window winder in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein the locking means includes a key lock for effecting movement of the detent means between a lockable and unlockable position. 25

4. A window winder in accordance with claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the detent means includes a wedge for wedging into the links of a chain to prevent the chain from being further extended from the housing. 10

5. A window winder in accordance with claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the detent means includes a clamp for clamping onto the chain preventing the chain from being further extended from the housing. 5

6. A window winder in accordance with any of the preceding claims wherein the locking means includes an activation means, which activates the detent means, the activation means including a sliding member slidable at an angle to the operation of the detent means. 10

7. A window winder in accordance with any of the preceding claims wherein the chain extends in at least part of a loop within the housing and the locking means is mounted within the loop of the chain and the detent means extends outwards to engage an inner surface of the chain. 15

8. A window winder in accordance with claim 1 having an elongated housing and a chain extending in an elongated channel within the housing and out of an opening and connectable to a window the window winder including a detect means having a detent member able to engage the chain at a predetermined position in the housing to prevent movement of the chain; and further including locking means able to be 20 selectively operated between first and second states, wherein the first state the detent means is effected to move the detent member into engagement with the chain at a predetermined position and wherein the second state the detent means is effected to move the detent member out of engagement with the chain and allow movement of the chain. 25

9. A window winder in accordance with claim 8 wherein the detent member is mounted in the housing and the detent means includes a resilient member which urges the detent member into a position corresponding with one of the first or second states of the locking means with the locking means requiring an active force to move 30 the detent member into a position corresponding with the other of the first or second states. 11

10. A window winder in accordance with claim 8 or 9 wherein the detent means includes a cam surface which coacts with a drive bar having a drive surface engaging the cam surface so that movement of the drive bar in one direction moves the detent 5 member in another direction between a chain engaging and disengaging positions.

11. A window winder in accordance with claim 10 wherein the locking means includes a key lock having a rotating pin that engages the drive bar such that rotation of the key lock causes reciprocal motion of the drive bar to move the detent member 10 into chain engaging and disengaging positions.

12. A window winder in accordance with claim I1 wherein the chain moves within elongate channels within the housing and the drive bar moves in a channel extending alongside at least a portion of the elongated channels for the chain. 15

13. A window winder in accordance with any of the preceding claims wherein the detent member engages the chain in a predetermined position spaced from the drive means driving the movement of the chain. 20

14. A window winder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

15. A window winder in accordance with claim 14 wherein the housing includes a plurality of depths of the cavity such that from the outer side of the housing there 25 is a raised portion able to house at least part of the driving means.

16. A window winder in accordance with claim 15 wherein the raised portion of the housing includes at least part of the locking means. 30

17. A window winder in accordance with any of the preceding claims wherein the drive means include a handle connected to a worm gear, which is connectable to a cog means for engaging and driving the chair or cord. 12

18. A window winder in accordance with claim 17 wherein the drive means includes a block mount with a top opening extending from a top side and of a first dimension and an internal cavity extending from a side opening and having a 5 second larger dimension; and the worm gear includes a spiral thread and at an end distal from the end attaching to the handle have a head of a dimension greater than the first dimension but at least slightly less than the second dimension and a neck at least slightly less than the first dimension, wherein the worm gear can be slid into the block mount to capture the head in the internal 10 cavity thereby mounting the worm gear while allowing rotational movement of the worm gear.

19. A window winder according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the drive means for driving the chain or cord extending in and out of a housing 15 includes a handle connected to a worm gear, which is connectable to a cog means for engaging and driving the chain or cord.

20. A window winder in accordance with claim 19 wherein the drive means includes a block mount with a top opening extending from a top side and of a 20 first dimension and an internal cavity extending from a side opening and having a second larger dimension; and the worm gear includes a spiral thread and at an end distal from the end attaching to the handle have a head of a dimension greater than the first dimension but at least slightly less than the second dimension and a neck at least slightly less than the first dimension, wherein the 25 worm gear can be slid into the block mount to capture the head in the internal cavity thereby mounting the worm gear while allowing rotational movement of the worm gear. 13