AU2011218770A1 - Screen retention assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A screen retention assembly (300) for retaining a screen (102) in a channel (202) defined by first and second walls (204, 206) extending from a base (208). The assembly (300) includes a retaining strip (306) adapted to be received in the channel (202) and including an adhesive (308) for retaining the screen (102). An urging means (302) is adapted to be received in the channel (202) for urging the screen (102) and the retaining strip (306) together, and increasing the retention of the screen (102) by the retaining strip (306). /-304 306 300

Description

RICO/oil Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Screen retention assembly The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 Screen retention assembly Field of the invention The present invention relates to an assembly for retaining a screen in a frame. The invention is particularly suited to the retention of security screens in window or door 5 frames. Background of the invention A relatively common way of increasing the security of a building is to provide building openings (e.g. doors and windows) with security screen assemblies. One variety of such security screen assemblies includes a sheet of security mesh 10 secured within a frame assembly. The frame assembly includes frame members which define an inwardly facing channel for receiving the mesh sheet which, when so received, covers the opening defined by the frame. The security screen assembly is then mounted in front of (or, in certain circumstances, behind) the building opening in question. 5 By way of example, only, Australian patent 776083 describes a variety of arrangements for retaining a security screen within a channel defined by a frame assembly. While the various embodiments described in this patent succeed in securing the screen within the channel, it would be desirable to provide a screen retention assembly which is less complex and/or costly to manufacture. 20 In the alternative, it would be desirable to provide the public with a useful choice. Reference to any prior art in the specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or any other jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be ascertained, understood and regarded as relevant by a 25 person skilled in the art.

3 Summary of the invention In one aspect the present invention provides a screen retention assembly for retaining a screen in a channel defined by first and second walls extending from a base, the screen retention assembly including: a retaining strip adapted to be received in the channel and 5 including an adhesive for, in use, retaining the screen; and an urging means adapted to be received in the channel and, in use, for urging the screen and the retaining strip together and increasing the retention of the screen by the retaining strip. In use, the screen may be received between the retaining strip and urging means. The screen retention assembly may further include a keeper adapted to be received in 10 the channel between the screen and the urging means. The keeper and urging means may be a single component. Alternatively, the keeper and retaining strip may be a single component. The retaining strip may include a base portion adapted, in use, to lie between the screen and the base of the channel. 5 The urging means may be a wedge. The urging means may include at least one urging means retaining formation for, in use, engaging with at least one first corresponding retaining formation formed on the first wall of the channel. The at least one urging means retaining formation may include one or more teeth. 20 The retaining strip may include a retaining strip retaining formation for, in use, engaging with a second corresponding retaining formation in the second wall of the channel. The retaining strip retaining formation may include a fin which, in use, is received in a correspondingly shaped recess in the second wall of the channel.

4 In a second aspect the present invention provides a security screen including a frame assembly and a screen, wherein the screen is retained within the frame assembly by a screen retention assembly according to any one of the above statements. Brief description of the drawings / Figures 5 Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example with reference to the Figures in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a security screen assembly; Figure 2A shows a perspective view of a frame element of the security screen assembly of Figure 1; 10 Figure 2B shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a frame element of the security screen assembly of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows the components of a screen retention assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 shows a sectional view of the screen retention assembly of Figure 3 retaining a J5 screen in the frame element of Figure 2A; Figure 5 shows the components of a screen retention assembly according to an alternative embodiment of the invention; and Figure 6 shows the components of a screen retention assembly according to a further alternative embodiment of the invention. 20 As used herein, except where the context requires otherwise, the term "comprise" and variations of the term, such as "comprising", "comprises" and "comprised", are not intended to exclude further additives, components, integers or steps.

5 Detailed description of the embodiments Figure 1 provides a perspective view of a security screen assembly 100. The security screen assembly 100 includes a security screen 102 secured within a frame assembly 104. The frame assembly 104 is rectangular and includes four frame elements (of which 5 only a bottom frame element 105 and left side frame element 106 are illustrated) joined at their corners. The security screen assembly 100 may be used in a variety of applications/installations. For example, the screen assembly 100 may be secured immovably in place in front of a window or similar. Alternatively, the screen assembly 100 may be provided as part of a 0 window or door assembly (sliding or hinged), and include latch/locking and/or mechanisms to allow the assembly to be secured in a closed position. The security screen 102 of the present embodiment is a steel mesh screen woven from marine grade 316 stainless steel. Suitable mesh for the security screen includes, for example, 11 count mesh of woven 0.8mm diameter high tensile stainless steel wire with 5 the mesh having an open area of 44%. The invention could, however, be used with alternative mesh or non-mesh screens or panels. Figure 2A provides a perspective view of one of the frame elements, in this instance frame element 105, of the frame assembly 104. Frame element 105 includes a screen receiving channel 202 defined by two walls 204 and 206 and a base 208. The channel 20 202 U-shaped and, in this particular embodiment walls 204 and 206 are parallel. Wall 204 includes a plurality of teeth 210 extending along its length and pointing towards the base 208 of the channel 202 in a sawtooth formation. Wall 206 includes a T-shaped recess 212 extending along its length as well as a plurality of teeth 213, also extending along the length of the wall 206. The teeth 210 in wall 204, and the recess 212 and 25 teeth 213 in wall 206 provide retention means for retaining components of the screen retention assembly in the channel 202 as discussed below. Adjacent the screen receiving channel 202 the frame element 105 includes a mounting arrangement 214 by which the frame element 105 is mounted. The mounting arrangement 214 of frame element 105 has been depicted as a simple rectangular 6 tubular section 216 with two short walls 218 and 220 extending therefrom, however it will be appreciated that the mounting arrangement may be a different shape. By providing frame elements with a relatively simple/standard mounting arrangement further components for specific applications can be designed to connect to the frame 5 elements. For example, the mounting arrangement 214 may be shaped/configured to engage with further extrusions which are provided with features suitable for the required installation of the screen assembly. These features may, for example, include housings/connectors/adaptors for rollers or similar (for a sliding door/window installation), hinges/hinge attachment points (for a hinged door/window installation), 10 latches/locks, cross-sectional features allowing interconnection with still further extrusions, or simply apertures allowing the further extrusion (and, accordingly, the frame assembly) to be bolted or otherwise secured in place. Alternatively, the mounting arrangement 210 of the frame element 105 may itself include such features as integral formations. 15 In addition, while each of the frame elements 105 to 108 will include a channel assembly the same or similar to that described in relation to element 105, the frame elements 105 to 108 may be provided with different mounting arrangements according to where the frame element 105 to 108 will be positioned and any mounting requirements. For example, if the security screen is to be provided as a hinged window 20 or door, hinges (or hinge attachment points) will be required on one of the frame elements 105 to 108 only. Typically the frame elements 105 to 108 are manufactured as aluminium extrusions which are cut to size according to the requirements of a particular installation. As will be appreciated, the specific dimensions of the frame elements 105 to 108 will depend on 25 the installation requirements - e.g. whether the security screen is to be used in a door or window, the size of the door or window, and whether a light, medium, or heavy duty assembly is required. Frame elements 105 to 108 are joined at their corners by appropriate corner stakes/connectors/joiners, such as P2 heavy duty corner stakes distributed by Aluminium Specialties Group Pty Ltd.

7 Figure 2B provides a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a frame element. As can be seen the frame element of figure 2B is largely the same as the frame element depicted in figure 2A and the reference numerals of Figure 2A have been used for like features. Unlike the frame element of Figure 2A, however, wall 206 of the frame 5 element of Figure 2B is a flat surface below the T-shaped recess 212 (and does not include teeth 213). A first embodiment of a screen retention assembly 300 by which the screen 102 is secured in the frame elements 105 to 108 will now be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 shows the components of a screen retention assembly 300, 10 while Figure 4 provides a sectional view of the screen retention assembly 300 installed (with screen 102) in frame element 105. Screen retention assembly 300 includes an urging means 302 in the form of a wedge, a keeper 304, and a retaining strip 306, each of which being elongate in form so as to extend the length of the channel 202 of the relevant frame element. The retaining strip 15 306 is provided with an adhesive retaining means 308, described further below. The urging means 302 is extruded ppolyvinyl chloride (PVC) material. The dimensions of 302 are selected so as to maximise the contact pressure and mechanical grip between the components of the assembly. As such, any changes in dimensions of the receiving channel 202 of the frame member 105 will require commensurate changes in 20 the dimensional characteristics of the urging means. The urging means includes a retention formation in the form of a plurality of teeth 310 which are pointed upwardly and, as seen in Figure 4, engage with the teeth 210 of the channel wall 204 when assembled. As will be appreciated, the wedge 302 and wall 204 may be formed with alternative complementary retention features. The top of the urging means (i.e. the end 25 of the wedge 302 not driven into the channel 202) is provided with a flange 312. When assembled, one side of the flange 312 abuts the top of the channel wall 204 and the other side of the flange 312 abuts the keeper 304. The body of the urging means 302 extends from the flange 312 and is tapered.

8 Keeper 304 is also manufactured from extruded PVC. In this instance the keeper 304 is a thin planar strip with two flat faces. Keeper 304 does not include protrusions or other formations (such as fingers or the like) to engage with the screen 102. Manufacturing a keeper without protrusions/other formations is generally simpler and more cost effective 5 than manufacturing a keeper including such features. This simplified strip reduces die costs and simplifies the extrusion process leading to cost savings. Further, in the embodiments in which the keeper and urging means are separate entities, the planar strip keeper can be used by the fabricator without regard to ensuring that mating surfaces are correctly positioned. 0 The retaining strip 306 of the present embodiment is also manufactured from extruded PVC. The retaining strip 306 is L-shaped, including a wall 314 (oriented, in use, parallel to the wall 206 of the channel) and a base 316 (oriented, in use, parallel to the base 208 of the channel). The wall 314 of the retaining strip 306 includes a retaining strip retention formation in the form of a T-shaped fin 318. As can be seen in Figure 4, the fin 5 318 locates in the T-shaped recess 212 of wall 206 serving to retain the retaining strip 306 in place. Once again it will be appreciated that the retaining strip 306 and wall 206 may be formed with alternative complementary retention features than the T-shaped fin 318 and recess 212. The adhesive retaining means 308 of the present embodiment is an adhesive strip 20 provided along the internal face of the retaining strip wall 314 (i.e. the face which, in use, faces into the channel 202). A suitable adhesive for use with the present invention is Acryplas, an acrylic carrier with acrylic glue, which can be applied to the retaining strip 306 by decoiling the acrylic carrier through a set of guide rollers, and utilising pressure rollers to apply the carrier to the retaining strip 306. The adhesive retaining 25 means 308 retains the screen 102 in place against the retaining strip 306. As will be appreciated, the adhesive retaining means need not be a continuous strip, but could be provided by adhesive sections/portions formed discontinuously along the length of the retaining strip 306. Referring to Figure 4, use of the screen retention assembly 300 to retain the screen 102 30 in the channel 202 of the frame element 105 will now be described. The retaining strip 9 306 is secured in place by sliding the fin 318 of the retaining strip 306 down the recess 212 of the channel wall 206. Once this is done, the wall 314 of the retaining strip 306 lies adjacent to wall 206 of the channel with the adhesive retaining means 308 facing into the channel 202, and the base 316 of the retaining strip 306 lies adjacent the base 5 208 of the channel 202. The screen 102 is inserted into the channel 202 such that one face of the screen 102 abuts the adhesive retaining means 308 of the retaining strip 306, and an edge of the screen 102 abuts the base 316 of the retaining strip 306. The screen 102 is held in place against the retaining strip 306 by the adhesive retaining means 308. 0 The keeper 304 is located in the channel 202 such that the screen 102 is sandwiched between the keeper 304 and the retaining strip 306. The urging means 302 is driven into the channel 202 between the channel wall 204 and the keeper 304. The urging means 302 is prevented from coming out of the channel 202 by the inter-engagement of teeth 310 (on the wedge 302) and teeth 210 (on the channel 5 wall 204). Insertion of the urging means 302 into the channel secures the screen retention assembly 300 (and screen 102) in the channel 202. The shape of the urging means 302 is such that the screen 102 (and keeper 304) is urged towards the retaining strip 306, thereby compressing the components of the screen retention assembly 300 between the channel walls 204 and 206. Further, when a frame element such as that 20 depicted in Figure 2A is being used the insertion of the urging means 302 urges the retaining strip 306 into the teeth 213 in wall 206, causing the teeth 213 biting into the retaining strip 306. When a frame element such as that depicted in Figure 2B is used, the pressure applied by the urging means 302 presses the retaining strip into the wall 206 with sufficient force to retain the screen retention assembly components and screen 25 102 in the channel 202. Figure 5 shows the components of a screen retention assembly 500 in accordance with an alterative embodiment of the invention. Screen retention assembly 500 also includes an urging means 502, a keeper 504, and a retaining strip 506 provided with an adhesive retaining means 508. In this embodiment, however, the keeper 504 and retaining strip 10 506 are formed as (or joined together to be) a single U-shaped component. Assembly of the screen retention assembly 500 with screen 102 in channel 202 is similar to the assembly described above, however the single U-shaped retaining means 504 and retaining strip 506 form a retaining means channel 510 in which the screen 102 is 5 received. Figure 6 shows the components of a screen retention assembly 600 in accordance with a further alternative embodiment of the invention. Screen retention assembly 600 also includes an urging means 602, a keeper 604, and a retaining strip 606 provided with an adhesive retaining means 608. In this embodiment, the urging means 602 and keeper 10 604 are formed as (or joined together to be) a single component. Assembly of the screen retention assembly 600 with screen 102 in channel 202 is similar to the assembly described above, however as the keeper 606 and urging means 602 are a single component they are driven into the channel 202 together. It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification 5 extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

Claims (14)

1. A screen retention assembly for retaining a screen in a channel defined by first and second walls extending from a base, the screen retention assembly including: a retaining strip adapted to be received in the channel and including an adhesive 5 for, in use, retaining the screen; and an urging means adapted to be received in the channel and, in use, for urging the screen and the retaining strip together and increasing the retention of the screen by the retaining strip.

2. A screen retention assembly according to claim 1, wherein, in use, the screen is 1O received between the retaining strip and urging means.

3. A screen retention assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, further including a keeper adapted to be received in the channel between the screen and the urging means.

4. A screen retention assembly according to claim 3, wherein the keeper and urging 15 means are a single component.

5. A screen retention assembly according to claim 3, wherein the keeper and retaining strip are a single component.

6. A screen retention assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the retaining strip includes a base portion adapted, in use, to lie between the screen and the 20 base of the channel.

7. A screen retention assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the urging means is a wedge.

8. A screen retention assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the urging means includes at least one urging means retaining formation for, in use, 12 engaging with at least one first corresponding retaining formation formed on the first wall of the channel.

9. A screen retention assembly according to claim 8, wherein the at least one urging means retaining formation includes one or more teeth. 5

10. A screen retention assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the retaining strip includes a retaining strip retaining formation for, in use, engaging with a second corresponding retaining formation in the second wall of the channel.

11. A screen retention assembly according to claim 10, wherein the retaining strip retaining formation includes a fin which, in use, is received in a correspondingly shaped 10 recess in the second wall of the channel.

12. A security screen including a frame assembly and a screen, wherein the screen is retained within the frame assembly by a screen retention assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A screen retention assembly substantially as herein described with reference to 15 the accompanying drawings.

14. A security screen substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.