EP1903175A2

EP1903175A2 - Pleated screen device

Info

Publication number: EP1903175A2
Application number: EP07018476A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Francesco Donatelli; Samuele Donatelli; Michele Motolese
Original assignee: EFFE Srl
Current assignee: EFFE Srl
Priority date: 2006-09-21
Filing date: 2007-09-20
Publication date: 2008-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 2027-09-20
Also published as: EP1903175B1; ATE487846T1; ITTO20060671A1; ES2355986T3; DE602007010396D1; EP1903175A3

Abstract

Described herein is a pleated screen device constituted by a screen (10) inserted between vertical sectional elements (11 and 12), the first one (11) of which is fixed and the second one (12) can be moved manually from a position in which it is set up against the fixed sectional element (11) and the screen (10) is closed, folded up on itself, to a position in which the mobile sectional element (12) is set up against the frame of the framework for containing the device and the screen (10) is open; the mobile sectional element (12) is guided in its movements of translation through chain guide means, a top one (14) and a bottom one (15), which are able to slide in respective guides made in the frame of the framework; extending in a direction transverse to the screen (10) are cords (18 and 19), which at one end of their own are fixed to the mobile sectional element (12) and extend along the screen (10) as far as the fixed sectional element (11), where they are prolonged to form a tensioning system; one (18) of the cords, if the cords number two, or else a set of cords, if the cords number more than two, extends (18') in the fixed sectional element (11), passing through a hole thereof, downwards as far as a return roller (20) fixed to a base body (21) applied in a removable way to the fixed sectional element (11) and proceeds (18") as far as the end element (15') of the bottom guide chain (15) to which it is fixed (23); the other cord or set of cords (19) also enters with its extension (19') in the fixed sectional element (11), through another hole, and proceeds upwards as far as a second return roller (25) fixed to a top body (22), which is also applied in a removable way to the fixed sectional element (11); said extension (19') proceeds (19") as far as the end element (14') of the top guide chain (14) to which it is fixed (24).

Description

Pleated screens, such as in particular but not exclusively, mosquito nets, are devices that present as principal characteristic that of having the screen of a type that can be folded up in a concertina fashion.
In order for the screen, during folding, to maintain its plane conformation, i.e., for it not to warp or buckle, it is necessary for cords to extend along the screen, tensioned between the rigid vertical sectional elements that support the side ends of the screen. These cords are provided at their ends with tensioning systems that keep them always tensioned and consequently maintain the screen in a plane configuration.
One of the main drawbacks of this type of screens lies in the very fact that traditionally the system of cords and tensioners that is provided is rather complex and elaborate. This system, then, is normally also of rather large overall dimensions, and it is difficult to gain access thereto to carry out any operations of maintenance and replacement of the cords of the system.
An example of these screens is illustrated in the patent EP-999,335 , where it may be noted how the design of the tensioners for the cords on the lateral sectional elements entails very complex and laborious intertwinings.
This means that the sectional elements that carry the tensioners must be of large overall dimensions and that the installer who has to see to intertwining of the tensioners finds himself in considerable difficulty, since he has to install for each screen the entire system starting from scratch, without being able to use pre-assembled kits, which simplify and accelerate the task of installation.
The main purpose of the present invention is to propose a screen that will overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and in particular will present an intertwining of tensioners for the cords that is extremely simple but at the same time very functional, will enable fast and convenient maintenance operations to be carried out, and will moreover make it possible to create kits that will simplify and speed up the job of the installer of the device in situ.
A purpose of the present invention is also to provide a device in which the intertwining of cords and tensioners does not require large overall dimensions inside the uprights that support it, improving the appearance of the finished device.
For the above and further purposes that will be understood more fully hereinafter, the purpose of the invention is to provide a pleated screen device constituted by a screen inserted between vertical sectional elements, the first one of which is fixed and the second one can be moved manually from a position in which it is set up against the fixed sectional element and the screen is closed, folded up on itself, to a position in which the mobile sectional element is set up against the frame of the framework for containing the device, and the screen is open; the mobile sectional element is guided in its movements of translation through chain guide means, a top one and a bottom one, which are able to slide in respective guides made in the frame of the framework; extending in a direction transverse to the screen are cords, which at one end of their own are fixed to the mobile sectional element and extend along the screen as far as the fixed sectional element, where they are prolonged to form a tensioning system; said device is characterized in that one of the cords, if the cords number two, or else a set of cords, if the cords number more than two, extends in the fixed sectional element, passing through a hole thereof, downwards as far as a return roller fixed to a base body applied in a removable way to the fixed sectional element and proceeds as far as the end element of the bottom guide chain to which it is fixed; the other cord or set of cords also enters with its extension in the fixed sectional element, through another hole, and proceeds upwards as far as a second return roller fixed to a top body, which is also applied in a removable way to the fixed sectional element; said extension proceeds as far as the end element of the top guide chain to which it is fixed.
The device according to the invention will now be described with reference to the attached plates of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates the screen according to the invention in a perspective exploded view;
Figures 2 and 3 illustrate each in two different views two details; and
Figure 4 illustrates in greater detail a part of the screen of Figure 1.

The device according to the invention, as may be noted in particular in Figure 1, presents a screen 10 inserted between vertical sectional elements 11 and 12, the first one 11 of which is fixed and the second one 12 can be moved manually from a position in which it is set up against the fixed sectional element 11 and the screen 10 is closed, folded up on itself, to a position in which the mobile sectional element 12 is set up against the frame of the framework for containing the device (not represented for reasons of convenience of illustration) and the screen 10 is open.
The slidable sectional element 12 is guided in its movements of translation through chain guide means, a top one 14 and a bottom one 15, of which the top one is able to slide in a respective guide made in the frame of the framework.
The two guide means 14 and 15 (see Figures 2 and 3) are constituted by a plurality of elements having vertical walls (the bottom ones 16 substantially circular, and the top ones 16' substantially oval), joined by a cross member 17 and 17' and hinged to one another to form respective top and bottom continuous chains.
For the reasons that will be better understood hereinafter, the two chains formed by the elements 14 and 15 are of different dimensions; namely, the bottom one 15 is of larger dimensions than the top one 14.
Extending in a direction transverse to the screen 10, in a traditional way, are cords, in a variable number according to the dimensions of the screen itself, which, as has already been said, have the purpose of preventing any oblique deformation during opening and closing.
For reasons of simplicity, we consider the case where the cords 18 and 19 are two in number, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 4. At one end of their own, the cords 18 and 19 are fixed to the mobile frame 12 and extend woven onto the screen 10 as far as the fixed frame 11, where they are prolonged as described in what follows.
One of the two cords, for example the top one 18, proceeds with the extension 18' within the fixed sectional element 11, passing through a hole thereof, downwards as far as a return roller 20 fixed to a base body 21 applied in a removable way to the fixed sectional element 11. The tensioner 18' then proceeds with the stretch 18" as far as the end element 15' of the bottom guide chain 15, to which it is fixed in 23.
The other cord 19, with its extension 19', also enters the fixed sectional element 11, through another hole, and proceeds upwards as far as a second return roller 25 fixed to a top body 22, which is also applied in a removable way to the fixed sectional element 11. The tensioner 19' then proceeds, with the stretch 19", as far as the end element 14' of the top guide chain 14, to which it is fixed in 24.
As may be noted, the system of cords 18 and 19 and tensioners 18', 18" and 19', 19" is very simple both as regards its intertwining and as regards its operation. In fact, when the screen 10 is completely distended (opened), the two sets of top-guide elements 14 and bottom-guide elements 15 are largely slid out of the vertical sectional element 11 and are arranged horizontally along the guides of the frame so that also their ends 14' and 15' are very close to one another in the vertical sectional element 11, as may be noted in Figures 1 and 4.
The cords 18 and 19, however, always remain at a constant tension along the screen 10, since they are fixed to the aforesaid ends 14' and 15' of the guide elements and they reduce, as the screen opens, their portions 18', 18" and 19', 19" inside the sectional element 11, performing a function of tensioners.
When, instead, the screen 10 recloses, the two chains formed by the two sets of elements 14 and 15 translate increasingly inside the sectional element 11 until they set themselves alongside one another almost for the entire length of the sectional element 11.
This is why it is convenient to make the top guide 14 (which is subject to lower stresses) of smaller dimensions than the bottom guide 15. The space that they occupy when they are set alongside one another is a little greater than that occupied by just one guide.
In addition, as may be noted, the return rollers 20 and 25 are positioned in such a way that the tensioners 18', 18" and 19', 19" are located only in the internal part of the sectional element 11, i.e., the one facing the screen 10. Otherwise, if the tensioners were to unwind also on the other side, i.e., towards the frame, the lateral encumbrance of the system of tensioners and guides would be much greater.
Consequently, with this arrangement of the cords and tensioners set between the guide elements and the screen, a configuration of the device is obtained that is of limited overall dimensions and at the same time extremely functional.
By making then the guide elements, one (for example, the bottom one) of normal dimensions, and one (for example, the top one) of smaller dimensions, the lateral encumbrance is further reduced, with the additional advantage of improving the aesthetic appearance of the device.
This particular type of intertwining of tensioners then makes it simple to form a kit made up of two sectional elements containing the screen and the cords that traverse it.
The kit, in fact, will be constituted by the sectional elements 11 and 13 with the screen 10 inserted therein and the tensioners 18' and 19' pre-wound and maintained provisionally at their own free ends 23 and 24 in purposely provided hooks of the sectional element 11.
For the installer it will be simple to slide the sectional element 11 into the bottom and top sectional elements, in which the guide elements 14 and 15 slide, and to cause passage of the cords 18 and 19 that come out of the sectional element itself through the return rollers 21 and 22 as far as the ends of the guide elements 14' and 15', where they are fixed in 23 and 24. The entire operation requires very short times for assembly and a simplicity of assembly that can render the system even within the reach of beginners and end users.
Advantageously, the vertical sectional elements 11 and 12 are fixed by means of magnets to the containment frame so as to enable ease of extraction of the screen 10 from its seat, without any need to use screwdrivers or other tools.

Claims

A pleated screen device, constituted by a screen (10) inserted between vertical sectional elements (11 and 12), the first one (11) of which is fixed and the second one (12) can be moved manually from a position in which it is set up against the fixed sectional element (11) and the screen (10) is closed, folded up on itself, to a position in which the mobile sectional element (12) is set up against the frame of the framework for containing the device and the screen (10) is open; the mobile sectional element (12) being guided in its movements of translation through chain guide means, a top one (14) and a bottom one (15), which are able to slide in respective guides made in the frame of the framework; extending in a direction transverse to the screen (10) are cords (18 and 19), which at one end of their own are fixed to the mobile sectional element (12) and extend along the screen (10) as far as the fixed sectional element (11), where they are prolonged to form a tensioning system; said device being characterized in that one (18) of the cords, if the cords number two, or else a set of cords, if the cords number more than two, extends (18') in the fixed sectional element (11), passing through a hole thereof, downwards as far as a return roller (20) fixed to a base body (21) applied in a removable way to the fixed sectional element (11) and proceeds (18") as far as the end element (15') of the bottom guide chain (15), to which it is fixed (23); the other cord or set of cords (19) also entering, with its extension (19'), the fixed sectional element (11), through another hole, and proceeding upwards as far as a second return roller (25) fixed to a top body (22), which is also applied in a removable way to the fixed sectional element (11); said extension (19') proceeding (19") as far as the end element (14') of the top guide chain (14), to which it is fixed (24).
The device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the two chains (14 and 15) are constituted by a plurality of elements having vertical walls (16), joined by a cross member (17) and hinged to one another to form respective top and bottom continuous chains.
The device according to Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the two chains formed by the guide elements (14 and 15) are of different dimensions; namely, the bottom one (15) is of larger dimensions than the top one.
The device according to Claim 3, characterized in that, during the step of opening of the screen, i.e., when the mobile sectional element (12) is pulled towards the fixed one (11), the chain of smaller dimensions (1) slides partially inside that of larger dimensions (15).
The device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the return rollers (20 and 25) are positioned in such a way that the extensions (18', 18" and 19', 19") of the cords (18 and 19) are all in the internal part of the fixed sectional element (11), i.e., the one facing the screen (10).
The device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the top chain (14) slides in a U-shaped sectional element (9) that forms the frame.
The device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the vertical sectional elements (11 and 12) are fixed by means of magnets to the containment frame.