EP3056650B1

EP3056650B1 - Insect screen with a driving device of the net guiding chain and system for facilitating assembly and for correcting the positioning arrangement

Info

Publication number: EP3056650B1
Application number: EP16000075.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Denis Bettio; Loris Bettio
Original assignee: Bettio Service SpA
Current assignee: Bettio Service SpA
Priority date: 2015-02-13
Filing date: 2016-01-13
Publication date: 2017-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 2036-01-13
Also published as: ES2639645T3; EP3056650A1

Description

The present invention relates to an insect screen with a driving device of the net guiding chain and system for facilitating assembly and for correcting the positioning arrangement.

Field of the invention

The invention finds particular but not exclusive application in the sector of the industry for the production and marketing of components and accessories for door and window frames, such as insect screens, for example insect screens for doors and windows with horizontal sliding, aimed at preventing insects from entering the conventionally inhabited places, be they buildings for civilian, commercial or industrial use, in particular in the industry for the preeminent production and marketing of insect screens and net barrier elements for equipping openings of buildings.
With specific reference to the known solutions of insect screens, in extreme synthesis they consist in arranging a net barrier interposed to the openings of buildings, typically doors or windows, in such a way as to allow, although with the permanent possibility for air to remain between the internal environment and the external environment, to prevent the intrusion of insects into the internal environments of the building. In a solution of the traditional type it is provided to realize a rigid frame supporting a close-mesh net, said frame being peripherically compatible with the sizes of the opening of the doors or the windows which are intended to be equipped with the insect screen itself. In the current more widespread solutions, the insect screens can be distinguished into two categories. A first, so-called custom-sized, that is to say, a type of insect screen made at the origin according to the sizes received from the customer, to be delivered to the final user allowing for its installation by means of specialized staff; a second category, indicated as an insect screen in an assembly kit, which is much more widespread on the market. In the insect screens of said two categories it is possible to find common elements, which consist of the box, of the type generally made up of an aluminium section or extruded bar, into which one coaxially inserts the winding roller of the net of the insect screen which holds a first end of said net. By means of said box, from a suitable longitudinal opening comes out the net, which has the second end joined to a handlebar which is movable to and fro with respect to the box. In some solutions the winding roller can also comprise a corresponding pre-loaded return spring for rewinding the net. Furthermore, as for the ends of the box, they are usually closed by suitable plates, which are provided in association with counter-plates of the adjustable type. The box, in this solution, contributes to the installation with one or more guides or driving elements, inside which the end of the handlebar and the corresponding side edge of the net slide to and fro.
Among the different solutions of insect screens some variants are also known, such as some insect screens which, instead of sliding vertically, slide horizontally, imposing to the handlebar a translation movement which is aimed at driving the net along a horizontal axis. From the structural point of view, said insect screens look very similar to the now described solutions and are recurrent both in roller blinds and in sunshades. One of these, for example, concerns some insect screens of lower quality, without the pre-loaded spring inside them. The latter differ from the first because they require some manual operations, both to unwind the net from the roller and to wind it up again. In one case, for example, one has the habit of using a closed circuit chain, which by engaging, on the one side, a wheel or pulley keyed to the respective winding roller, which is received in a box, causes the controlled winding or unwinding of the net of the insect screen.
Said original solutions of insect screens, with the net sliding horizontally or vertically, are thus made up as follows:

a) a box, closed at its ends by corresponding heads;
b) a winding roller, internal to said box, supported in correspondence of its ends by a pair of heads, which are engaged at the end of the box;
c) an optional torsion coil spring, which is arranged coaxially and cooperates with said winding roller;
d) a net, which on the one side is anchored to said winding roller and on the other side is joined to a handlebar;
e) and, finally, driving elements, parallel to each other, inside which the ends of said handlebar and the side edges of the net are slidable.

Prior art

With particular reference to patent literature various solutions of horizontal movement of the net of the insect screen can be found. For example in EP753642 (Metaco) a shielding device is described, which comprises a foldable shield having a base side, a left side and a right side, the screen extending longitudinally between a left frame element extending upwards and a right frame element extending upwards, which are longitudinally movable with respect to each other in order to open the foldable screen, the apparatus also including a top guiding element extending longitudinally and a base guiding element extending longitudinally, each guiding element being flexible and bent in a cross direction adjacent with respect to one of the left and right frame elements in such a way as to have one free end which moves upwards and downwards with respect to said one of the left and right frame elements when the shield is opened or closed, each guiding element having flexing elasticity determining an elastic return force, characterised in that the free end of each guiding element slides along said one of the left or right frame elements, in that the other end of each guiding element is fixed to the other one of the left and right frame elements, and in that the left frame element, the right frame element, the top guiding element and the base guiding element form a frame.
EP 999335 (Metaco) describes a shielding device comprising:

a pair of mounting frames of the shield opposite to each other, at least one of which is sliding;
a shield mounted between said mounting frames of the shield in such a way as to be able to be opened and closed;
a sliding guiding frame placed close to one side of said shield which is not connected to the mounting frame of the shield, at least one end of which is a free end, insertable and extractable from inside one of said mounting frames of the shield; said guiding frame being formed by a plurality of interconnected rigid units, each of which has a pair of side walls, opposite to each other, and a connecting portion which interconnects said side walls, the adjacent rigid units being revolving with respect to each other in such a way that the sliding guiding frame is foldable; stopping means associated with said rigid unit, said stopping means preserving the straightness of an extracted portion of the sliding guiding frame when the sliding guiding frame is extracted from the mounting frame of the shield in correspondence of the sliding of the mounting frame of the sliding shield.

Guides formed by consecutively interconnected rigid units are known. JP 53-51648 discloses the guide formed by consecutively hinged rigid units, a section of which extends parallel to the edges of the screen. One end of the structure formed by the concatenated portions is received and extracted inside the mounting frame of the screen, represented by the box or roller shutter box. JP 06-158961 proposes the use of folding guiding structures formed by consecutively interconnected rigid units, extending along the opposite edges of a curtain and having the terminal sections arranged to be extracted from and inserted into one of the stanchions of the framework. It clearly relates to a shielding device having a curtain extending between a fixed stanchion and a movable stanchion. Along each of the opposite horizontal edges of the curtain there is a flexible guiding structure made up of a plurality of rigid units pivotably connected one after the other by means of pins. The guiding structure, engaged in a sliding way along a fixed section, has one end fixed to the movable stanchion and a terminal section guided in a sliding way along a shaped extension of the section. The guiding structure therefore maintains a straight development in the section extracted from the fixed stanchion, and flexes in correspondence of an entry opening in the stanchion to be received into and extracted from the latter in accordance with the opening and closing movement of the curtain.

State of the art closest to the invention

By carrying out a more in-depth search, some solutions of horizontally sliding insect screens have been found, which supposedly can be considered closer to the object of the present invention. More particularly, said prior documents are:

D1 WO2004/104357 (Seiki)
D2 TV2008A000021 (Bettio)
D3 TV2008A000020 (Bettio)
D4 IT1396082 (Bettio)

D1 describes an insect screen with a protection net with a net guiding chain, as the guiding device of a horizontally sliding net. In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a winding-up screen device in which, when a screen is wound around a winding axis to make the opening portion open, a screen guide guides the edge portion of the screen unwound from the winding axis. The winding-up screen device comprises a fixed frame fixed to an opening frame of a building; a movable frame, which is provided so as to be parallel to the fixed frame and movable to and from the fixed frame; a slit of the screen wound around a winding axis, the screen provided so as to extend between the fixed frame and the movable frame, and the screen to be opened and closed by winding and unwinding the screen around the winding axis with the forward and backward movement of the movable frame; and a screen guide formed so as to be long and bendable, going in and coming out of the inner portion of the fixed frame or the movable frame through the opening provided at the end portion of the fixed frame or the movable frame with the forward and backward movement of the movable frame, and linearly led out along the edge portion of the screen unwound from the winding axis and guiding the edge portion. A portion of the guide is attached to the screen along the edge portion to be guided by the screen guide, the screen guide contains a plurality of guide parts in which a joining groove is provided in the axial direction on the inner surface disposed on the screen side and is formed by connecting neighboring guide parts at both sides sandwiching the joining groove on the inner surface so as to be bendable.
D2 describes an insect screen comprising:

(a) a vertical box for a winding roller, lateral with respect to an upper guide which is fixed to the beam, wherein said box contains the winding roller of the protection net; said network is joined with a first end to the winding roller;
(b) an upper fixed horizontal guide, joined to an end at the top portion of the box;
(c) a vertical handlebar, to which the second end of the net is joined, the handlebar being with the upper part fixed and movable longitudinally with respect to the fixed guide;
(d) a guiding chain, which contains seats for the lower edge of the net; the guiding chain consisting of reciprocally interconnected modules, wherein said net guiding chain is with a first end engaged to the lower part of the box, while the second end slides within the handlebar;
(e) a guiding device of the guiding chain, comprising a rope and related connecting means, placed within the handlebar and in the fixed upper guide.

D3 synthetically describes an insect screen with a retractable net guiding chain for a horizontally sliding net, made up of:

a) a vertical box which contains a winding roller, lateral with respect to a fixed horizontal upper guide, said protection net is joined with a first end to the winding roller;
b) a fixed horizontal upper guide;
c) a vertical handlebar to which the second end of the net is joined, with the upper end constrained to the fixed guide longitudinally movable;
d) a net guiding chain with a seat for containing the lower edge of the net; consisting of modular elements interconnected with each other, with a first end engaged to the lower end of the box, while the second end slides inside the handlebar;
e) a driving device of the net guiding chain, made up at least of one rope, chain, and related transmission means placed at least inside the handlebar and the box.

D4 synthetically describes a guiding system with tensioned cables for moving the net with a horizontally sliding handlebar in an insect screen with a controlled driving device of the net guiding chain, comprising:

a) a vertical box, lateral with respect to a fixed horizontal upper guide, which contains the winding roller of the protection net; said net is joined with a first end to said winding roller;
b) a fixed horizontal upper guide, joined with an end to the upper end of the vertical box;
c) a vertical handlebar to which the second end of the protection net is joined; the handlebar being with the upper end constrained to the fixed guide and longitudinally movable with respect to said fixed guide;
d) a lower net guiding chain with a seat for containing the lower edge of the net; the net guiding chain being made up of modular elements interconnected to each other, wherein said net guiding chain is with a first end engaged to the lower end of the box, while the second end slides inside the handlebar;
e) a driving device of the net guiding chain, made up of at least cables and related transmission means placed inside the handlebar and the fixed upper guide;

In conclusion, it is reasonable to consider as known an insect screen, in which the protection net, wound around a shaft or winding roller inside the vertically arranged box, is driven along a horizontal axis by means of a handlebar which slides by manually moving it, moving away and approaching with respect to said vertical box, said handlebar laying along its path a guiding chain which holds the lower edge of the protection net, the upper edge of said protection net being sliding inside a fixed guide, wherein said guiding chain is guided by the guiding device which comprises at least one rope and connecting means with respective transmissions, placed within the handlebar and in the fixed upper guide; furthermore, one must also consider as known a solution in which inside the vertical box, in correspondence of the upper end of the winding roller of the protection net which is contained inside said box, there is a winding spool or reel provided with an elastic return spring, to which winding spool or reel a cable of the driving device is constrained, in such a way that, by translating the handlebar which drives the net guiding chain and the protection net of the insect screen, the cables of said driving device remain constantly stretched.
Insect screens with the features mentioned in the introductory part of claim 1 are known from EP1640554 and from WO2013/064308 .

Drawbacks

Although from the functional point of view the solutions indicated as closest to the invention allow to obtain a good result, all the prior art solutions found have some drawbacks and/or limits.
A first drawback common to all the solutions of insect screens as in the found prior art, according to the applicant, consists of the fact that the current solutions of insect screens, in particular the solutions with a net guiding chain device, given the characteristics of their current structure, do not allow to obtain an easy assembly both in the case in which said installation is carried out by specialized staff and, even more, in the case in which the installation of the insect screens is carried by personnel not having specific technical skills.
A second drawback common to all the known solutions, according to the applicant, was found to consist of the fact that none of said known solutions allows to easily obtain the arrangement adjustments of the insect screen already during its assembly in order to prevent all those drawbacks which are caused by possible misalignments and which are typically translated into a difficult movement in opening and closing of the curtain of the insect screen itself. In particular, none of the prior art solutions is provided with such technical features as to allow and maintain, already during the installation phase, the necessary orthogonality between the box and the upper guide in an insect screen structure which has already been arranged for this purpose at the sales stage.
A third drawback involving all the mentioned prior art solutions, according to the applicant, was found to consist of the fact that the current solutions do not allow, after assembly, to carry out in an easy way the necessary arrangement adjustments.
Furthermore, the current insect screen solutions, and in particular the insect screen solutions of the type provided with a movable handlebar equipped with a net guiding chain, according to the applicant, do not allow to suitably reduce the friction and wear caused by the rubbing of the net as a consequence of the movement of the latter when opening and closing the insect screen.
As a whole, from these introductory remarks, one realizes that it is preeminent to find some alternative solutions.
Aim of the present invention is also to prevent the above-mentioned drawbacks.

Summary of the invention

This and other aims are achieved by the present invention according to the characteristics as in the appended claims solving the mentioned problems by means of an insect screen (1) with a driving device of the net guiding chain and a system for facilitating assembly and for correcting the positioning arrangement comprising a vertical box (2) which contains the winding roller (3) of the protection net (4) said net being joined with a first end to said winding roller (3) and with a second end to a horizontally sliding vertical handlebar (7), wherein to the unwinding of the net, which is suitably kept under tension, a net guiding chain (8) contributes, which is intended to keep the net under tension in its lower part, wherein to the vertical box (2) an upper guide (5) is hinged, the upper end of said vertical box (2) being provided with a pushing device (11) cooperating for the positioning with a comb-like backing plate (13) for positioning the lower end of the box (2), it being provided that the upper guide (5) is equipped with a sliding adjustment device (14) and wherein inside the box (2) there are some friction reducing sections (17) facilitating the movement of the net.

Aims and Advantages

In this way, by the considerable creative contribution the effect of which constitutes an immediate technical progress, several advantages are achieved.
A first advantageous aim of the present invention is to facilitate, by improving it, the installation of the insect screen both in the case in which it is carried out by qualified personnel and even more allowing for its correct and facilitated installation also if it is carried out by the final user even without specific technical skills.
A second advantageous aim of the present invention is to easily allow to obtain the arrangement adjustments of the insect screen already during the assembly phase in order to prevent all the drawbacks which are caused by possible misalignments consequent to a non-correct assembly providing the insect screen with such technical features as to allow and maintain, already during the installation phase, the necessary orthogonality between the box and the upper guide in an insect screen structure which has already been prearranged for this purpose at the sales stage.
A third advantageous aim of the present invention is to allow, after assembly, to easily perform the necessary arrangement adjustments.
Another advantageous aim of the present invention is to allow, by providing innovative technical features, to significantly reduce the friction and, as a consequence, the wear caused by the rubbing of the net as a consequence of the movement of the latter when opening and closing the insect screen.
These and other advantages will appear from the following detailed description of some preferred embodiments with the aid of the enclosed schematic drawings, whose details are not to be considered limitative but only illustrative.

Content of the drawings

Figure 1 shows an overall view of the insect screen according to the present invention in a preassembly condition;
Figure 2 shows an overall view of the insect screen according to the present invention in which the box is installed while the upper guide is still in a condition of non-operativeness;
Figure 3 shows an overall view of the insect screen according to the present invention in which the box is installed while the upper guide is shown in the condition of being taken in the operative position;
Figure 4 shows an overall view of the insect screen according to the present invention associated with the opening of the door and in an operativeness condition, in which the net is not unfolded;
Figure 5 shows an overall view of the insect screen according to the present invention associated with the opening of the door and in which the net is completely unfolded;
Figure 6 shows a view of a portion of the box, with the handlebar in a bearing condition, and of the upper guide showing their section, in the insect screen according to the present invention, where the upper guide hinged to the upper head of the vertical box is in a non-operative position;
Figure 7 shows a view of a portion of the box, with the handlebar in a bearing condition, and of the upper guide showing their section, in the insect screen according to the present invention, where the upper guide hinged to the upper head of the vertical box is in an operative position;
Figure 8 shows a sectional three-quarter view from above of a portion of the vertical box and handlebar in a closing position in which their internal components are highlighted;
Figure 9 shows an orthogonal sectional view of the vertical box and of the handlebar in a closing position in which the friction reducing sections, with which the insect screen according to the present invention is equipped, are highlighted;
Figure 10 shows an orthogonal sectional view of the vertical box and of the handlebar in an opening position in a variant of the insect screen according to the present invention in which the protection net is of the pleated type;
Figure 11 shows a view of the insect screen according to the present invention, showing the orthogonal sections, of a portion of the vertical box with in a bearing condition a part of the handlebar in a closing position and of a portion of the upper guide hinged to the upper head of the vertical box in a non-operative position, where the detail of the pushing device, with which the head of the vertical box is provided, is highlighted in section;
Figure 12 shows an orthogonal sectional view of the head of the vertical box associated with the upper guiding track with the pushing device in an operativeness condition of the insect screen according to the present invention;
Figure 13 shows a view of the insect screen according to the present invention installed with the adjustment device of the upper guide highlighted in section;
Figure 14 is a view of the detail in section of Figure 13;
Figure 1 5 shows a view of the bottom profile of the vertical box of the insect screen according to the present invention;
Figure 1 6 shows a view of the comb-like device for the alignment of the insect screen according to the present invention;
Figure 17 shows a view of the bottom profile of the vertical box of the insect screen according to the present invention in a possible position with respect to the comb-like device;
Figure 1 8 shows a view of the bottom profile of the vertical box of the insect screen according to the present invention in a possible position with respect to the comb-like device;
Figure 1 9 shows an axonometric view of a portion of the net guiding chain of the insect screen according to the present invention;
Figure 20 shows an axonometric view of an articulated body of the net guiding chain of the insect screen according to the present invention with the engagement joint particularly evident.

Practical realization of the invention

With reference also to the representations as in Figures 1 to 20, an insect screen (1) is described with a driving device of the net guiding chain and a system for facilitating assembly and for correcting the positioning arrangement which, in a preferred embodiment as in Figures 1 to 20 comprises a box (2), lateral and vertical, made up of a preferably metallic box-like element, wherein inside said box (2) there is a winding roller (3), which, too, is placed vertically in a suitable housing with which said box (2) is provided, said winding roller (3) engaging for the unwinding and winding a protection net (4) which, through a slit made longitudinally with respect to said box (2), unwinds spreading out and vice-versa along a horizontal axis. For the purpose of obtaining the winding and unwinding, the protection net (4), otherwise known as curtain, is provided with a first end constrained to said winding roller (3) around which the protection net (4) is wound to be unwound coming out of the box (2) laterally through the provided longitudinal slit. The insect screen (1) according to the invention may also be of the type in which the winding roller (3) can have a loading coil spring which is constrained with one end to the winding roller (3), in such a way that, on the one side by unwinding the protection net (4) the winding roller (3) rotates as well, involving the loading by torsion of the coil spring, not shown, and the consequent tensioning of the protection net (4), there being the possibility that the tensioning of the protection net (4) can also be achieved by tensioning means of the known type alternative to the loading coil spring constrained to one end of the winding roller (3), through said tensioning means the appropriate tensioning of the protection net (4) being achieved. To the box (2) is joined, in an operativeness condition, orthogonally in correspondence of the upper end, a horizontal upper guide (5), which in an operativeness condition is provided associated with an engagement track (6) fixed to the lintel of the opening in which the insect screen (1) is intended to be placed. Along said upper guide (5), which is provided with two ends, right and left end respectively, in correspondence of its lower side, there is provided longitudinally movable, to and fro, the vertical handlebar (7) which is with the upper end (71) perpendicularly constrained with respect to the upper guide (5), in such a way as to slide driven longitudinally with respect to said upper guide (5). Furthermore, it is provided that the insect screen (1) according to the invention, in correspondence of the lower end of the box (2), engages a first end of the net guiding chain (8) which is made up of a series of rigid modules (81) hinged to each other in an articulated way, each of which is provided with suitable seats (82) countershaped with respect to the engagement bodies (831) of a hinging device (83) comprising some engagement bodies (831) constrained to a flexible cable (832), wherein the length of the net guiding chain (8) is at least equal to the width of the opening to be closed by installing the insect screen (1). The second end of the net guiding chain (8), opposite to said first end, slides in a controlled way vertically inside the handlebar (7) which is substantially hollow, entering in correspondence of the base (72) to be then guided vertically.
In more detail, to the handlebar (7) is engaged the second end of the protection net (4) whose first end, as previously described, is engaged to the winding roller (3) of the box (2). In this way, by moving horizontally in one direction or in the other the handlebar (7) one obtains the simultaneous winding - unwinding by spreading out of the protection net (4) and the sliding inside the handlebar (7) of the net guiding chain (8) by means of the driving device, not shown, with which the insect screen (1) is provided, said driving device being of the known type and being able to comprise cables, chains, cables-chains, spool or reel pulleys or another known tensioning device in such a way as to keep said cables, chains, cables-chains constantly under tension. In this way, with the aid of the driving device, one enables the movement of the handlebar (7), which with the upper end is guided by the upper guide (5) while with the lower end it is configured in such a way as to lay down the net guiding chain (8) which, as described, also slides inside and along said handlebar (7) in such a way as to enable the function of the net guiding chain (8) which in particular consists in holding and guiding, during its spreading out and after the movement of the handlebar (7), the lower edge of the protection net (4), while the upper edge of the protection net (4) slides and remains inside the upper guide (5).
In accordance with the described embodiment example as in the present invention, it is provided that the insect screen (1), in order to allow for its simplified installation, is innovatively provided with specific technical features. In detail, as it is shown in Figures 1 to 5, for the purpose of facilitating the correct positioning of the insect screen (1) on the opening of the door or window of the building which will be equipped with it, so as to facilitate the achievement and the maintenance of the orthogonality between the box (2) and the upper guide (5) in such a way as to allow that the unwinding and winding of the protection net (4) occurs in optimal operativeness conditions, it is provided that the upper end of the box (2) is equipped with a head (21) which is suitably structured in a known way to allow being associated with the corresponding end of the box (2) so as to constitute its removable closing element, in which it is innovatively provided that to said head (21) the end of the upper guide (5) is suitably hinged, by means of an articulation hinge (9) of the known type, in such a way as to advantageously allow said upper guide (5) to be articulated to the head (21) of the box (2) so that it is, already before assembly, positioned in such a suitable way as to allow, in the following assembly phase, to be placed orthogonally with respect to the box (2) and that said orthogonality can be maintained during the assembly phase of the insect screen (1) and after assembly. The maintenance of said orthogonality between the box (2) and the upper guide (5) already during the assembly phase has been found to greatly facilitate the correct positioning of the insect screen (1) on the opening of the door or of the window limiting the interventions by the operator to the simple unfolding of the upper guide (5).
In more detail, it is provided that the articulation hinge (9) allows the upper guide (5) to accomplish a rotation angle which goes at least from 0 to 90° in such a way as to allow that from a preassembly position in which the upper guide (5) is parallel to the box (2), said upper guide (5) can be moved until it reaches orthogonality with respect to said box (2), wherein the hinged end of the upper guide (5) abuts the hinging end of the head (21). Furthermore, for the purpose of allowing to maintain the orthogonality condition between the box (2) and the upper guide (5) the head (21) may be provided with known restraint devices (211) also of the known elastically deformable and snap-on type and cooperating in the engagement with at least one suitable restraint seat, not shown, with which the upper guide (5) is provided. The positioning of the upper guide (5) orthogonally to the box (2) also being simplified by a suitable protrusion (212) with which the head (21) is equipped, in the example it being provided that said protrusion (212) has a suitable through-seat (213) so as to allow for the positioning of a fixing means (10) of the known type for anchoring the head (21) to the lintel. In the described embodiment, as it is particularly clear from what is shown in Figure 11, it is provided that the head (21) develops in such a way as to extend beyond the width of the handlebar (7) in such a way that when the latter is put close the box (2) the upper guide (5), which is in a condition of non-operativeness, is almost close, parallel, to the handlebar (7).
Furthermore, again for the purpose of facilitating the installation of the insect screen (1), said head (21) is innovatively provided with an elastic pushing device (11) in which, in the embodiment example described particularly with reference to Figure 11 and Figure 12, said pushing device (11) is placed inside a suitable blind seat (214) with which the head (21) is provided, it being provided that, in the example, the pushing device (11) comprises a coil spring (111) and a movable pushing pin (112) constrained to the spring (111), wherein said pushing pin (112) acts as a consequence of the push performed by the spring (111) as it is constrained to the latter to be inserted in correspondence of the upper end opposite to the end in which the spring (111) is held within the blind seat (214) into which the spring (111) is inserted. The action of said pushing device (11) in contrast to the engagement track (6) fixed to the lintel of the opening of the door or window where the insect screen (1) is arranged allows to facilitate the positioning and the maintenance of the bottom profile (12) of the box (2) constrained to a comb-like backing plate (13) which is anchored to the threshold of the door or of the window.
In more detail, as it particularly shown in Figures 15 to 18, and in particular in Figure 16, the comb-like backing plate (13) is made in such a way as to comprise at least one countesunk hole (131) and a slotted hole (132) to allow for its engagement to the threshold by known threaded fixing means (10), classically some screws. Furthermore, the comb-like backing plate (13), for the purpose of allowing the adjustment of the positioning of the bottom profile (12) of the box (2) of the insect screen (1) has a portion which is provided, in correspondence of both the opposite sides, with a series of protruding teeth (133) equidistant from each other as they are placed like in a comb. In order to allow for the positioning and the adjustment of the positioning of the box (2) with respect to the opening of the door or window of arrangement in such a way as to allow for the correct installation of the insect screen (1), it is provided that to this purpose the bottom profile (12) of the box (2) in correspondence of the lower end is made in such a way as to comprise a first protruding wall (121) and an opposite second protruding wall (122) each of which is shaped identically and symmetrical to the other, wherein the shape of the two protruding walls (121, 1 22) is such as to allow both for the engagement of the bottom profile (12) of the box (2) to the comb-like backing plate (13) and for the adjustment of the position of the box (2) itself so as to allow for the correct operation of the insect screen (1) in an operativeness condition. In detail, as it is shown in Figure 16 the two protruding walls (121, 122), in the example, are each provided with two engagement teeth (123) placed in correspondence of the end of the bottom profile (12), it being provided that each protruding wall (121, 122) is shaped in such a way as to comprise a recess (124) which is compatible for the engagement to the portion provided with the protruding teeth (133) of the comb-like backing plate (13) when the engagement teeth (123) of the bottom profile (12) engage the ends of the comb-like backing plate (13) over the whole portion provided with said protruding teeth (133). In this way, the positioning and the adjustment of the position of the box (2) are facilitated, allowing that during the installation the operator can easily and, by means of the comb-like backing plate (13), proceed in a guided way to the correct positioning of the box (2) perpendicularly with respect to the threshold, said adjustment being simplified by the interaction between the bottom profile (12) of the box (2), which engages the comb-like backing plate (13), and the pushing device (11) which allows both to facilitate the adjustment of the position of the bottom profile (1 2) with respect to the comb-like backing plate (13), and to maintain the engagement position of the bottom profile (12) on the comb-like backing plate (13).
The solution of an insect screen (1) according to the invention, for the purpose of facilitating the operations of installation, is structured in such a way that the upper guide (5), which in a condition of installation is placed in a backing condition with respect to the engagement track (6), sliding with respect to it constrains in a movable way an adjustment device (14) which, as it is particularly shown in Figure 1 3 and in Figure 1 4, is made up of a body comprising a base (141), which at the bottom is provided with guiding pins (146) intended to be inserted within a suitable guiding groove, not shown, with which the upper guide (5) is provided, and a central portion (142) which comprises a threaded seat (143) having a through-hole (144), wherein the threaded seat (143) houses a threaded dowel (15) adjustable, in the example, by means of a conventional hexagonal wrench. Said central portion (142) of the adjusment device (14) is further provided with a suitable housing (145) provided with a through-opening intended to allow for the passage of a threaded fixing means (10) able to engage a sliding constraint body (16) which is engaged in a sliding way with the engagement track (6) which, in order to allow for the constrained sliding of the sliding constraint body (16), is provided with suitable guides (61) intended to engage the base with projecting elements (161) of the sliding constraint body (1 6).
Furthermore, the sliding constraint body (16) is intended both to be engaged by a threaded fixing means (10) and to be sliding inside the housing (145) of the adjustment device (14). Given the described structure of the adjustment device (14) the latter can be placed along the upper guide (5) in the position which is considered the most appropriate, it also being provided that the adjustment of the distance between the upper guide (5) and the engagement track (6) can be performed by means of the action of the operator by screwing or unscrewing the threaded dowel (15) and the locking in position obtained by screwing the threaded fixing means (10) on the sliding constraint body (16) in such a way as to join the adjustment device (14), and with it the upper guide (5), to the engagement track (6).
Given the described structure of the insect screen (1), its installation can be facilitated, allowing to realize and maintain the necessary orthogonality between the box (2) and the upper guide (5), in such a way as to ensure that the movement of the protection net (4) by means of the movement of the handlebar (7) occurs in a condition of optimal operativeness allowing to easily maintain said orthogonality between the box (2) and the upper guide also during the operations of adjustment of the alignments necessary for the correct positioning of the insect screen (1) on the opening of the building to be equipped with the insect screen (1). Operatively, it is provided that in a condition before the installation, the upper guide (5) of the insect screen (1) is placed parallel to the box (2), adjacent to the handlebar (7) which is in a closing condition being close to the box (2). During assembly, one mounts on the lintel of the opening of the building to be equipped with the insect screen (1) the engagement track (6) which consists of a "U" section, suitably anchored to the lintel in a known way by means of at least two threaded fixing means (10). In axis with the engagement track (6), in correspondence of the threshold and close to the jamb, by means of a threaded fixing means (10) preferably placed on the slotted hole (132), the comb-like backing plate (13) is suitably anchored in such a way as to allow for the correct positioning of the insect screen (1) so that the head (21) of the box (2) is suitably positioned at the end of the engagement track (6).
Due to said positioning, the pushing device (11) is forced down in such a way as to allow the bottom profile (12) with which the box (2) is equipped to be lifted with respect to the comb-like backing plate (13) on which it is intended to be engaged allowing the operator to easily perform all the movements necessary for the purpose of obtaining a correct positioning of the box (2) so that it is perpendicular to the ground, as a consequence, thanks to the pushing action in contrast to the engagement track (6) exerted by the pushing device (11), once the operator has engaged the bottom profile (12) with the comb-like backing plate (13), it will be allowed both to maintain the engagement of the bottom profile (12) to the comb-like backing plate (13) and to contribute to keeping the head (21) of the box (2) at the positioning track up to the final anchoring of the head (21) by a known threaded fixing means (10). Following the engagement of the box (2) the operator will position the upper guide (5) in an operativeness position orthogonally to the box (2), until obtaining the constraint of the upper guide (5) to the engagement track (6), said operation being simplified by hinging the upper guide (5) to the head (21) of the box (2). For the purpose of enabling the precise adjustment of the distance between the lower part of the handlebar (7) and the threshold, in such a way as to obtain the optimal sliding of the handlebar (7), the operator is allowed to act on the adjustment device (14) in such a way as to place it in the position which is considered the most appropriate along the upper guide (5) at the same time being able to proceed to the adjustment of the distance between the upper guide (5) and the engagement track (6) by adjusting the threaded dowel (15) fixing the final positioning by screwing the fixing means (10) on the sliding constraint body (16).
Furthermore, in order to limit the wear of the protection net (4) during its winding and unwinding it is provided that the box (2), as it is particularly shown in Figure 8 and in Figure 9, is structured in such a way as to allow for the positioning of friction reducing sections (17) of plastic material which are suitably placed in such a way as to allow that the possible rubbing of the protection net (4) during winding or unwinding occurs against them. In the example said friction reducting sections (17) having a shape compliant with what is shown in Figures 8 and 9.
In a variant of the invention, as it is shown in Figure 10, the insect screen (1) according to the invention can be of the type with the protection net (4) of the pleated type, wherein in said variant there is no winding roller and related devices.

Reference

(1): insect screen
(2): box
(21): head
(211): restraint devices
(212): protrusion
(213): through-seat
(214): blind seat
(3): winding roller
(4): protection net
(5): upper guide
(6): engagement track
(61): guides
(7): vertical handlebar
(71): upper end
(72): base
(8): net guiding chain
(81): modules
(82): seats
(83): hinging device
(831): engagement bodies
(832): flexible cable
(9): articulation hinge
(10): fixing means
(11): pushing device
(111): spring
(112): pushing pin
(12): bottom profile
(121): first protruding wall
(122): second protruding wall
(123): engagement teeth
(124): recess
(13): comb-like backing plate
(131): countersunk hole
(132): slotted hole
(133): protruding teeth
(14): adjustment device
(141): base
(142): central portion
(143): threaded seat
(144): through-hole
(145): housing
(146): guiding pins
(15): threaded dowel
(16): sliding constraint body
(161): base with protruding elements
(17): friction reducing sections

Claims

Insect screen with a driving device of a net guiding chain and a system for facilitating assembly and for correcting the positioning arrangement, said insect screen comprising:
a) a vertical box (2) lateral with respect to an upper guide (5), the latter when installed being orthogonal to the box (2), wherein said box (2) contains at least part of a protection net (4), the latter being with one end anchored inside the box (2) if of the pleaded type, or said protection net (4) being joined with one end to a winding roller (3) if of the winding type;

b) a vertical handlebar (7) to which the second end of the protection net (4) is joined, the handlebar (7) being with the upper end constrained to the upper guide (5) placed in an operative condition and in a backing condition with respect to an engagement track (6) anchored to the lintel of an opening of a building, said handlebar (7) being movable longitudinally with respect to said upper guide (5);

c) a net guiding chain (8) with a seat for containing a lower profile of the protection net (4); the net guiding chain (8) being made up of modules (81) interconnected with each other, wherein said net guiding chain (8) is with one first end engaged to the lower end of the box (2), while the second end slides inside the handlebar (7);

d) a driving device of the net guiding chain (8), made up at least of cables and related transmission means placed at least inside the handlebar (7) and the upper guide (5), wherein said insect screen (1) is characterised in that it comprises a head (21) associated with the upper end of the box (2) to which head the upper guide (5) is hinged, said upper guide (5) being able to be moved at least from a condition in which it can be placed parallel to the box (2) to a condition in which it can be placed orthogonal to the box (2).
Insect screen (1) with a driving device of the net guiding chain and a system for facilitating assembly and for correcting the positioning arrangement, according to claim 1, characterised in that the head (21) is provided with at least one elastic pushing device (11) cooperating for the maintenance of the engagement of at least one bottom profile (12) with which the box (2) is provided in correspondence of its lower end, said bottom profile (12) being intended to engage at least one comb-like backing plate (13) anchored to the threshold of the opening of the building.
Insect screen (1) with a driving device of the net guiding chain and a system for facilitating assembly and for correcting the positioning arrangement, according to claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the comb-like backing plate (13) is provided with at least one portion which is equipped, in correspondence of both the opposite sides, with a series of protruding teeth (133), the bottom profile (12) of the box (2) in correspondence of the lower end being provided with at least one first protruding wall (121) and with at least one second protruding wall (122) opposite to the first, wherein at least one protruding wall (121, 122) is provided with at least one engagement tooth (123), each protruding wall (121, 122) being shaped in such a way as to comprise a recess (124) which is compatible for the engagement with the portion equipped with the protruding teeth (133) of the comb-like backing plate (13) when the engagement teeth (123) of the bottom profile (12) engage the end of the comb-like backing plate (13) over the whole portion equipped with said protruding teeth (1 33).
Insect screen (1) with a driving device of the net guiding chain and a system for facilitating assembly and for correcting the positioning arrangement, according to at least one of the previous claims, characterised in that the pushing device (11) comprises at least one spring (111) wherein the spring (111) is placed within at least one blind seat (214) with which the head (21) is provided.
Insect screen (1) with a driving device of the net guiding chain and a system for facilitating assembly and for correcting the positioning arrangement, according to at least one of the previous claims, characterised in that the upper guide (5), in a sliding way with respect to it, constrains in a movable way an adjustment device (14) which comprises at least one threaded seat (143) equipped with a through-hole (144), wherein the threaded seat (143) houses an adjustable threaded dowel (15), said adjustment device (14) being further provided with at least one suitable housing (145) provided with a through-opening which is intended to allow for the passage of a threaded fixing means (10) able to engage a sliding constraint body (16) which is provided slidingly constrained to the engagement track (6) wherein the sliding constraint body (16) is intended both to be engaged by a threaded fixing means (10) and to be sliding inside the housing (145) of the adjustment device (14).
Insect screen (1) with a driving device of the net guiding chain and a system for facilitating assembly and for correcting the positioning arrangement, according to at least one of the previous claims, characterised in that the box (2) is internally provided with at least one friction reducing section (17) so as to facilitate the spreading out or the rewinding of the protection net (4).