EP1849953B1

EP1849953B1 - Sliding screen with brush guide

Info

Publication number: EP1849953B1
Application number: EP06113195.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bastiaan Wilgehof
Original assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries BV
Current assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries BV
Priority date: 2006-04-27
Filing date: 2006-04-27
Publication date: 2014-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 2026-04-27
Also published as: EP1849953A1

Description

The invention relates to a sliding screen for a door or window opening, comprising a meshed gauze screen which can be wound on or off a winding mechanism and with two opposite guides for cooperation with opposite longitudinal edges of the gauze screen, wherein the guides are provided with brushes extending longitudinally along said guides and having brush filaments for cooperation with the meshes of the gauze screen.
Such a sliding screen for example is known from EP-A-1.318.267 . The filaments of the brushes cooperate with the longitudinal edge regions of the gauze screen in such a manner that, on one hand, a longitudinal movement of the gauze screen relative to the guides (and, thus, relative to the brushes) is allowed, whereas however, on the other hand, a movement of the gauze screen perpendicularly thereto (and, thus, out of the guides) will be prevented because, then, the filaments of the brushes will penetrate into the meshes of the gauze screen and therefore will oppose such a movement of the gauze screen.
Although such a sliding screen operates in an effective manner, it is a disadvantage that the engagement between the multiplicity of brush filaments and the gauze screen causes a considerable amount of friction.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sliding screen of the type referred to above.
Thus, in accordance with the present invention the gauze screen is characterized in that each brush, as seen in its longitudinal direction, is alternatingly provided with first regions with brush filaments engaging the gauze screen and second regions without brush filaments intended for engaging the gauze screen.
By the provision of such alternating first and second regions a brush is obtained which engages the gauze screen with reduced friction. This reduced friction not only reduces the effort required for moving the gauze screen longitudinally (with its evident benificial effects on the construction of the sliding screen in its entirity or parts thereof, such as for example the winding mechanism) but also will reduce wear of the gauze screen and the guides.
In a surprising manner the provision of such alternating first and second regions does not have a detrimental effect on the effectivity of the brush in preventing a movement of the edge regions of the gauze screen out of the guides. In contrast, it seems that this effectivity even is increased slightly, perhaps because now the filaments are less constrained to move laterally towards a position in which they can more easily penetrate into the meshes of the gauze screen.
It is noted, that the first regions and second regions may or may not have the same length in the longitudinal direction of the brush.
In an other preferred embodiment of the sliding screen according to the invention the second regions are not provided with brush filaments. Thus, in a longitudinal direction of the brush first regions with brush filaments and second regions without brush filaments are provided alternatingly.
However, it is possible too that the second regions are provided with brush filaments with a shorter length then the brush filaments of the first regions. This means that both the first and second regions are provided with brush filaments, but that the brush filaments of the second regions have a short length, such that they will not engage the gauze screen. A particular advantage of this embodiment is, that the brush can be manufactured starting from a standard brush with brush filaments provided everywhere along its entire length by simply cutting the brush filaments to a reduced length at the second regions.
Although the advantages obtained by the present invention are elucidated above by reference to the previously mentioned preferred embodiment, such advantages also will apply to the general aspect of the invention, i.e when each brush is provided with localised regions without brush filaments engaging the gauze screen (that means regions without brush filaments at all or with shorter brush filaments).
Although generally each guide of the sliding screen will be provided with a single brush, it is also possible that each guide is provided with two brushes of which the filaments substantially extend towards each other. Then, at least one of said brushes will be provided with the said first and second regions. An example of a sliding screen having two brushes in each guide is shown in EP-A-1.318.267 .
Wen, indeed, the two brushes of each guide each have first and second regions, it is possible that these first and second regions are positioned in a corresponding manner. This means, that the first regions of the two brushes are opposite each other, as are the second regions of both brushes.
However, when the two brushes of each guide each have first and second regions, it also is possible that these first and second regions are positioned in a staggered manner. This means, that the first regions of one brush are positioned opposite the second regions of the other brush, and vice versa.
Hereinafter the invention will be elucidated while referring to the drawing in which embodiments of the gaze screen are illustrated. Herein:

Figure 1 shows, schematically, a sliding screen;
Figure 2 shows a cross-section according to II-II in figure 1;
Figure 3 shows a first embodiment of a brush;
Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of a brush;
Figure 5 shows an amended cross-section according to II-II in figure 2;
Figure 6 shows an embodiment with two brushes, and
Figure 7 shows an alternative embodiment with two brushes.

Firstly referring to figure 1, a sliding screen comprises a meshed gauze screen 1 which can be wound on or off a winding mechanism 2 (such as a cilinder which can rotate around an axis 3). Two opposite guides 4 are provided for cooperation with opposite longitudinal edges of the gauze screen 1. Said guides 4 may be attached at opposite sides of a door or window opening.
As illustrated in figure 2 (showing a cross section of the guide 4), the guides 4 are provided with brushes 5 extending longitudinally along said guides 4 and having brush filaments 6 for cooperation with the meshes of the gauze screen 1.
Referring to figure 3, a first embodiment of a brush 5 is illustrated which, as seen in its longitudinal direction, is alternatingly provided with first regions A with brush filaments 6 engaging the gauze screen (not illustrated) and second regions B without brush filaments.
Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of a brush 5' which, as seen in its longitudinal direction, is alternatingly provided with first regions A with brush filaments 6 engaging the gauze screen (not illustrated) and second regions B' with brush filaments 6' having a reduced length abd therefore not engaging the gauze screen.
Although, as illustrated in figures 3 and 4, regions A and B (B') substantially have the same length, they also could have different lengths. Further it is noted, that it is also possible that the length of the regions A (or B) does differ. There also could be more mutually different regions than two.
Figure 5 shows a cross section of a different guide 4', in which two brushes 7 and 8 are positioned of which the brush filaments 6 extend towards each other while enclosing therebetween the gauze screen 1. In a first embodiment of such a guide as represented in figure 6 the regions A and B of the brushes 7 and 8 are positioned correspondingly (regions A opposite each other, and regions B opposite each other), whereas in a second embodiment according to figure 7 the regions A of brush 7' are positioned opposite the regions B of brush 8' and vice versa. However, it should be noted, that it is also possible that the regions are staggered differently, or that only one of said brushes is provided with regions A and B, whereas the other brush is shaped as a standard brush.
The invention is not limited to the embodiments described before which may be varied widely within the scope of the invention as defined by the appending claims.

Claims

Guide (4) intended for cooperation with a longitudinal edge of a meshed gauze screen (1) of a sliding screen for a door or window opening, the guide being provided with brushes (5) extending longitudinally along said guide and having brush filaments (6,6') for cooperation with the meshes of the gauze screen, wherein each brush is provided with localised regions (B) without brush filaments intended for engaging the gauze screen, characterized in that each brush (5), as seen in its longitudinal direction, is alternatingly provided with first regions (A) with brush filaments (6) intended for engaging the gauze screen and second regions (B,B') without brush filaments intended for engaging the gauze screen.
Sliding screen for a door or window opening, comprising a meshed gauze screen (1) which can be wound on or off a winding mechanism (2) and with two opposite guides (4) according to claim 1 for cooperation with opposite longitudinal edges of the gauze screen
Sliding screen according to claim 2, wherein the second regions (B) are not provided with brush filaments.
Sliding screen according to claim 2, wherein the second regions (B) are provided with brush filaments (6') with a shorter length then the brush filaments (6) of the first regions (A).
Sliding screen according to any of the claims 2-4, wherein each guide (4) is provided with two brushes (7,8;7',8') of which the filaments (6) substantially extend towards each other.
Sliding screen according to claim 5, wherein the two brushes (7,8) of each guide (4) each have first and second regions (A,B) positioned in a corresponding manner.
Sliding screen according to claim 5, wherein the two brushes (7',8') of each guide (4) each have first and second regions (A,B) positioned in a staggered manner.