GB2329666A

GB2329666A - A device for mounting a protective screen to an existing window

Info

Publication number: GB2329666A
Application number: GB9717325A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harry Edwards
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-08-16
Filing date: 1997-08-16
Publication date: 1999-03-31
Anticipated expiration: 2017-08-16
Also published as: GB2329666B; GB9717325D0

Abstract

A device for fitting a transparent screen 3 to an existing window, comprising spacer means 5 for the locating the screen in a position spaced from said window and integral means for overlaying and securing to a portion of the screen 3.

Description

WINDOW PROTECTION This invention relates to window protection, in particular, to devices for covering and protecting existing glass windows.

Devices for protecting existing glass windows are known in the form of steel shutters which are used extensively to protect empty properties. However such devices prevent light entering the building and are not suitable for buildings which are in use but are prone to having their windows broken by, for instance, vandals.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for enabling an existing window to be protected by means of a transparent screen, the device comprising spacer means for the location between and for securing to said existing window and the transparent screen, said spacer means including integral overlay means for overlaying and securing to at least an edge portion of the transparent screen.

A device in accordance with the present invention may be in the form of a hollow plastics tube, for instance, of square or rectangular section. Typically, this tube will extend along the edges of and between the existing window and the transparent screen. The tube includes, extending from one edge or corner an integral plastics folding or hinged retaining strip in the form of a flap of material which, in use, may extend around the edge of the transparent screen so as to overlay at least a part of that surface of the screen remote from the existing window.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, there is illustrated a transverse section through a device in accordance with the present invention in the process of being fitted between a transparent security screen and an existing window.

As illustrated, an existing window 1 is to be protected by means of a transparent screen 3 which may be made of, for instance, suitable polycarbonate sheet material.

This polycarbonate transparent screen may be of any suitable thickness, for instance, 3 mm and may, if desirable, be UV protected. Screen 3 is spaced from window 1 by a distance of about 2.5 cm by means of a device 5 which extends about the entire perimeter window 1, typically in four separate lengths, one along each edge of the window 1. Device 5 may be made of a suitable plastics material, for instance, rigid uPVC. Device 5 includes hollow, square section tubing 7, the walls of which are about 1.5 mm thickness. This tubing 7 lies between existing window 1 and screen 3 and is secured to each by means of a layer of double-sided adhesive tape 9.

Device 5 also includes an integral plastics strip 11 which extends along the entire length of the device.

Strip 11 has a width somewhat greater than the length of a side of the tubing 7 and, as illustrated in the drawing, strip 11 is, in effect, an extension of one of the walls of tubing 7 (see solid line version of strip 11 in the drawing).

Spaced a short distance away from tubing 7, and running longitudinally with respect to strip 11, is a channel 13 which reduces the thickness of strip 11 over a short transverse distance thereof. As illustrated, the channel 13 has a depth over most of its width which is less than one half of the thickness of strip 11. However, in the centre of channel 13, the depth decreases to about 0.75 mm. The provision of a channel 13 creates a hinge within strip 11 and allows the main body of the strip to be bent over to overlay that surface of screen 3 which is remote from existing window 1, as illustrated in dotted line in the accompanying drawing. Further double-sided tape 17 is used to adhere strip 11 to screen 3. As a result of the use of the device of the invention in the manner described above, transparent screen 3 is located over existing window 1 and is spaced therefrom by the tubing part of the device.

The above described arrangement has been subjected to heavy impact testing and compared with a similar arrangement in which the above described device is replaced by simple plastics tubing, that is to say, not including the integral overlay. These tests demonstrated that an arrangement incorporating the device of the invention withstood very heavy impacts. However, similar heavy impacts applied to an arrangement incorporating simple square section tubing produced unsatisfactory results. The transparent screen was caused to spring off the tubing as a result of these impacts.

It should be appreciated that this invention is not restricted to the particular materials and dimensions mentioned in connection with the above described embodiments.

Other suitable materials may be used and the dimensions of devices of the invention may vary considerably according to the particular applications and having regard to the materials used.

Claims

1. A device for enabling an existing window to be protected by means of a transparent screen, the device comprising spacer means for the location between and for securing to said existing window and the transparent screen, said spacer means including integral overlay means for overlaying and securing to at least an edge portion of the transparent screen.

2. A device of claim 1 in the form of a hollow plastics tube.

3. A device of claim 2 in which the tube is of square or rectangular section.

4. A device of claim 1 or claim 2 in which, in use, the tube will extend along the edges of and between the existing window and the transparent screen and includes, extending from one edge or corner, an integral plastics folding or hinged retaining strip in the form of a flap of material which, in use, may extend around the edge of the transparent screen so as to overlay at least a part of that surface of the screen remote from the existing window.

5. A device for enabling an existing window to be protected by means of a transparent screen and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

6. The use of a device of any of claims 1 to 5 to protect an existing window.