WO2002070851A1

WO2002070851A1 - Sliding screen assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2002070851A1
Application number: PCT/AU2002/000221
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrew Edlin
Original assignee: Security Inventions Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2001-02-28
Filing date: 2002-02-28
Publication date: 2002-09-12
Also published as: NZ517507A; AUPR341201A0; WO2002070851A9

Abstract

A sliding security screen assembly including a frame having an inner channel and an outer channel slidably retaining an inner sash and an outer sash respectively, each of said inner sash and said outer sash framing a security mesh, and said sliding security screen assembly further including at least one latch for maintaining the sashes in a closed condition wherein said outer sash includes an outward projection in the form of an overhanging lip (18) and said outer channel includes an outer wall terminating in a flange (15) wherein said flange (15) is slidably received between the outer sash and the overhanging lip (18) when the outer sash is in the closed condition and wherein said overhanging lip (18) includes a section substantially coplanar with the outer wall of the outer channel.

Description

SLIDING SCREEN ASSEMBLY

The present invention relates to sliding screens incorporating security mesh. In particular the present invention relates to a sliding screen closure assembly that provides improved resistance to intruders. Sliding security screen assemblies generally incorporate a pair of screens each in the form of a sash having a sheet of security mesh held therein. The sashes generally are slidably retained within separate channels allowing each to slide past the other. Such sliding security screens may be susceptible to attack by jemmying, or prizing open, the channel in which the sliding sash is retained.

We have now found a sliding security screen assembly that improves the security of sliding security screen assemblies. According to the present invention there is provided a sliding security screen assembly including a frame having an inner channel and an outer channel slidably retaining an inner sash and an outer sash respectively, each of said inner sash and said outer sash framing a security mesh, and said sliding security screen assembly further including at least one latch for maintaining the sashes in a closed condition wherein said outer sash includes an outward projection in the form of an overhanging lip and said outer channel includes an outer wall terminating in a flange wherein said flange is slidably received between the outer sash and the overhanging lip when the outer sash is in the closed condition and wherein said overhanging lip includes a section substantially coplanar with the outer wall of the outer channel.

The frame of the sliding security screen assembly has an inner channel and an outer channel for slidably retaining the inner sash and the outer sash respectively. The frame may conveniently be constructed from extruded sections that may be connected by L-shaped brackets. Such extruded sections may preferably be produced from aluminium. For ease of manufacture and in order to maintain a minimum stock it is preferred that the cross section of such an extrusion be symmetrical about a plane between the inner channel and the outer channel. Alternatively, the frame may be produced in any convenient configuration to accommodate sliding inner and outer sashes as may be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The frame may include attachments for securing the frame to the wall or other construction having an aperture with which the security screen is intended to be secured. Conveniently, the frame may be secured to a wall or the like by screws that extend through bores in the base of one or more of the channels. Other means of securing the frame to a wall or the like may also be used in the present invention. It is preferred that any securing mechanism which is located within the channel incorporates a finish that is flush with the base of the channel.

The inner channel and the outer channel on the base of the frame may be provided with rollers, such as balls, or rails on which the respective sashes may ride. The use of rollers may allow for more easy movement of the respective sashes.

The inner sash and the outer sash both frame a security mesh. Preferably the inner sash and the outer sash are constructed from sections that are connected by L-shaped brackets. Each of the inner sash and the outer sash include an upper and a lower section that configured to be slidably located in the respective channels of the frame and may also include a section that is received in a vertical channel on the frame. In order to require the maintenance of minimum stock these sections may conveniently be produced from a single extrusion and thus have the same cross section. These sections may be produced from any suitable materials and it is preferred that they are produced from extruded aluminium.

The security mesh for use in the present invention may be any convenient security mesh although it is preferred that a woven stainless steel security mesh is used. It is particularly preferred that a woven 316 stainless steel is used in the present invention. The sliding security screen "assembly includes at least one latch for maintaining the sashes in a closed condition. The latch may be of any convenient type either affixing the sashes relative to each other or affixing the sashes to the frame. The outer sash includes an outward projection in the form of an overhanging lip and the outer channel includes an outer wall terminating in a flange wherein the flange is slidably received between the outer sash and the overhanging lip. The overhanging lip includes a section that is substantially co-planer with the outer wall of the channel. In a preferred configuration, the overhanging lip may be in the form of an L-shaped projection and the flange may be in the form of an opposed L-shaped extension of the outer wall. The L- shaped extension of the outer wall extends inwards towards the channel and includes a return that extends into the U-shaped recess formed by the L-shaped projection that forms the overhanging lip and the basic section of the sash. The outer sash moves slidably along the outer channel to a closed condition whereby the flange is slidably received between the outer sash and the overhanging lip. Preferably the overhanging lip and the flange are formed such that the gap therebetween is minimised, particularly such that the tolerances preclude easy penetration of the gap with a jemmy or other prizing means that an intruder may employ to breach the security screen. It is preferred that the overhanging lip be disposed adjacent to the outer wall of the outer channel in a closed condition such that the gab between the overhanging lip and the outer wall is minimised.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the sliding security screen further includes a releasable lock that provides improved resistance to intruders. According to this embodiment there is provided a sliding security screen assembly including a frame having an inner channel and an outer channel slidably retaining an inner sash and an outer sash respectively, each of said inner sash and said outer sash framing a security mesh, and said sliding security screen assembly further including at least one latch for maintaining the sashes in a closed condition wherein said outer sash includes an outward projection in the form of an overhanging lip and said outer channel includes an outer wall terminating in a flange wherein said flange is slidably received between the outer sash and the overhanging lip when the sash is in a closed condition and wherein said overhanging lip includes a section substantially co-planar with the outer wall of the outer channel wherein said at least one latch assembly and wherein said inner sash includes a latch section substantially perpendicular to the inner channel and a latch hingedly connected to the latch section and wherein said outer sash includes a lock section substantially perpendicular to the outer channel having a detent against which the latch engages in a closed condition wherein the latch section and the lock section respectively have opposed projections wherein said opposed projections intersect in a plane parallel to the plane of either one of the sashes.

The inner sash includes the latch section and the outer sash includes the lock section. The latch and lock sections are substantially perpendicular to the respective channels of the sashes. The latch section includes a latch hingedly connected thereto. It is preferred that the latch includes a bead that may snap fit with a corresponding socket on the latch section. The latch may preferably be biased towards a closed condition such as by a spring that acts on a lever arm of the latch. In such a configuration the latch may be moved to an open condition by urging the lever against the bias of the spring. Other latching mechanisms may be apparent to ttie skilled addressee without deviating from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The lock section includes a detent against which the latch engages in the closed condition. The detent may be in the form of a depression in the lock section or alternatively as a raised projection in the lock section. The form of the detent is not narrowly critical and a person skilled in the art will be able to comprehend other forms of detent suitable for retaining the respective sashes in position relative to each other whilst the latch in the closed condition. The latch section and the lock section of the inner sash and outer sash respectively have opposed projections that intercept in a plane parallel to the plane of either of the sashes. Preferably the opposed projections are substantially L-shaped and interlock such that the opposed projections intercept in the plane parallel to either one of the sashes and also intercept in a plane normal to that of either one of the sashes. The spacing between the opposed projections is preferably such that a potential intruder cannot readily access the latch. It is preferred that an intruder cannot access the latch from the outside of the screen without causing substantial damage to the screen. Thus, by construction of the screen from strong, rigid materials an intruder cannot readily gain access therethrough. In the preferred configuration L-shaped projections are employed and the inner and the outer sash cannot be readily prized apart so as to allow access to the latch due to an interlocking engagement between the respective L-shaped projections. The projections may be integrally formed with the locking and latching sections respectively. In a preferred embodiment the projections may be extruded with the locking and latching sections.

In order to facilitate the better understanding of the present invention, the present invention will now be described with reference to the following illustrative non-limiting drawings:

Figure 1 is an exploded view of the sliding screen assembly of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross section view of the guide rails used to form the frame of the sliding screen assembly shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the guider rail shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross section view of a frame used to form the sashes to be retained within the frame as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the section shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a cross section view of a latching section of an inner sash as shown in Figure 1 .

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the section shown in Figure 6. Figure 8 is a perspective view of a latch spring as shown in Figure 1. ^

Figure 9 is a cross section view of a latch shown in Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a cross section view of a lock section for the outer sash shown in Figure 1. Figure 11 is a perspective view of the section shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a cross section view of the latch section, lock section, latch and latch spring in the closed condition.

Figure 13 is a cross section view of the lock section, latch, latch spring and latch section in an open position. Figure 14 is a cross section view of a frame shown in Figure 1 having an outer sash with an overhanging lip substantially co-planer with the outer wall of the outer channel of the frame.

Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a sliding security screen assembly 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The sliding security screen assembly 1 is made up of a frame constructed from long double guide rails 2a and 2b attached to two short double guide rails 3a and 3b by double corner stakes 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d. An inner sash is made up from three basic sections 5a, 5b and 5c and a latch section 6. These sections 5a, 5b, 5c and 6 are connected by corner stakes 8a, 8b, 8c and 8d. A security mesh (not shown) is retained within the inner sash.

An outer sash is formed from three basic sections 5d, 5e and 5f and a lock section 7. The sections 5d, 5f and 7 are connected by corner stakes 8e, 8f and 8g and 8h. The outer sash includes a security mesh (not shown).

Figures 12 and 13 show a latch 9 is hingedly attached to the latch section 6 and a latch spring 10 biases the latch to engage with a detent in the locked section 7 in the closed condition.

Figure 2 is a cross section of a double guide rail extrusion 2 used to form the long double guide rails 2a and 2b and the short double guide rails 3a and 3b in Figure 1. The double guide rail extrusion 2 includes channels 11 a and 11 b. At the base of each of the channels 11 a and 11 b are two supports 12a and 12b, and 12c and 12d respectively. The channels 11 a and 11 b have a common inner wall 13 which includes inner wall flanges 14a and 14b. The channels 11 a and 11 b include outer walls 16a and 16b. The outer walls 16a and 16b have outer wall flanges 15a and 15b respectively. Advantageously, the use of rails supports 12a, 12b and 12c and 12d with the inner wall flanges 14a and 14b and the outer wall flanges 15a and 15b minimise the frictional resistance to the sliding of sashes within channels 11 a and 11 b.

The double guide rail extrusion 2 also includes a box section 33 for receiving the double corner stakes 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d. Figure 4 shows a basic section 5 having a serrated channel 17 for receiving a correspondingly shaped plug and retaining a security mesh generally as described in International Patent Application No. PCT/AU99/00097.

The basic section 5 includes a box section 34 for receiving a corner stake 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 8e, 8f, 8g or 8h. The basic section 5f for use on the outer section that engages with double channel 3b includes an overhanging lip 18, on the outer surface of the basic section 5. The overhanging lip 18 has an extension 19.

Figure 6 shows a latch section 6 having a serrated channel 20 for receiving a plug retaining a security mesh of the type described in International Patent Application No. PCT/AU99/00097. The latch section 6 includes a socket

22 for receiving a latch (not shown). The latch section 6 also includes a housing

23 for retaining a latch spring (not shown).

Figure 8 shows a latch spring 10 having a U-shaped seat 24 and an arm 25. The U-shaped seat 24 is adapted to be received in the housing 23 shown in Figure 6.

Figure 9 shows a latch 9 having an integral bead 26 adapted to be received in the socket 22 shown in Figure 6. The latch 9 has a lever 27 for operating the latch from a closed condition to an open condition. A housing 28 is provided for receiving the arm 25 of the latch spring 10. In an alternate configuration the housing 28 may receive the U-shaped seat 24 of the latch spring 10 and the arm 25 of the latch spring 10 may be received in the housing 23 on the latch section 6.

The latch 9 includes a locking member 29 shaped to engage with a corresponding detent on the lock section. Figure 10 shows the lock section 7 includes a serrated channel 30 for receiving a plug for retaining a security mesh, said plug being generally of the type described in an International Patent Application No. PCT/AU99/00097. The lock section 7 includes a detent 31 for engaging with the locking member 29 of the latch 9 shown in Figure 9. The lock section 7 also includes an L-shaped projection 32. Lock section 7 is also provided with a box section 35 for receiving a corner stake 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 8e, 8f, 8g or 8h.

Figure 12 shows the latch 9 in the locking position wherein the locking member 29 is engaged with the detent 31. The latch spring 10 can be seen to be urging the latch into the closed condition. The latch handle 27 may be operated to compress the latch spring 9 and move the latch into the open condition as shown in Figure 13. In the open condition, the locking member 29 is disengaged from the detent 31 and the respective inner and outer sashes may be slid in the direction of the arrows shown. The respective L-shaped projections 32 and 21 prevent ready access to the locking member 29 from between the respective sashes.

Figure 14 shows a cross section of the rail guide 12 slidably retaining a basic section 5 such as from the outer sash as in the basic sections 5d or 5e. The basic section 5 slidably engages a pair of rails 12a and 12b and the inner wall flange 14a. The outer wall flange 15 is slidably retained within an overhanging lip 18 on the basic section 5. The outer wall 16 is substantially co-planer with the lip 19 of the overhanging lip 18.

It will of course be realised that the above has been given by way of illustration only and that all such modifications as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A sliding security screen assembly including a frame having an inner channel and an outer channel slidably retaining an inner sash and an outer sash respectively, each of said inner sash and said outer sash framing a security mesh, and said sliding security screen assembly further including at least one latch for maintaining the sashes in a closed condition wherein said outer sash includes an outward projection in the form of an overhanging lip and said outer channel includes an outer wall terminating in a flange wherein said flange is slidably received between the outer sash and the overhanging lip when the outer sash is in the closed condition and wherein said overhanging lip includes a section substantially coplanar with the outer wall of the outer channel.

2. A sliding security screen assembly according to claim 1 wherein the outer sash includes an outward projection in the form of an overhanging lip.

3. A sliding security screen assembly according to claim 2 wherein the outer channel includes an outer wall terminating in a flange wherein the flange is slidably received between the outer sash and the overhanging lip.

4. A sliding security screen assembly according to either claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the overhanging lip is in the form of an L-shaped projection and the flange is in the form of an opposed L-shaped extension of the outer wall.

5. A sliding security screen assembly according to claim 4 wherein The

L-shaped extension of the outer wall extends inwards towards the channel and includes a return that extends into the recess formed by the L-shaped projection that forms the overhanging lip and the basic section of the sash.

6. A sliding security screen assembly including a frame having an inner channel and an outer channel slidably retaining an inner sash and an outer sash respectively, each of said inner sash and said outer sash framing a security mesh, and said sliding security screen assembly further including at least one latch for maintaining the sashes in a closed condition wherein said outer sash includes an outward projection in the form of an overhanging lip and said outer channel includes an outer wall terminating in a flange wherein said flange is slidably received between the outer sash and the overhanging lip when the sash is in a closed condition and wherein said overhanging lip includes a section substantially co-planar with the outer wall of the outer channel wherein said at least one latch assembly and wherein said inner sash includes a latch section substantially perpendicular to the inner channel and a latch hingedly connected to the latch section and wherein said outer sash includes a lock section substantially perpendicular to the outer channel having a detent against which the latch engages in a closed condition wherein the latch section and the lock section respectively have opposed projections wherein said opposed projections intersect in a plane parallel to the plane of either one of the sashes.

7. A sliding security screen assembly according to claim 6 wherein the latch includes a bead that may snap fit with a corresponding socket on the latch section.

8. A sliding security screen assembly according to claim 7 wherein the latch is biased towards a closed condition.

9. A sliding security screen assembly according to claim 8 wherein the latch is biased towards a closed condition by a spring.

10. A sliding security screen assembly according to any one of the claims 6 to 9 wherein the detent is in the form of a depression or projection in the lock section.

11. A sliding security screen assembly according to any one of claims 6 to 10 wherein the opposed projections are substantially L-shaped and interlock whereby the opposed projections intercept in the plane parallel to either one of the sashes and also intercept in a plane normal to either one of the sashes.

12. A sliding security screen according to either claim 10 or claim 11 wherein the projections are integrally formed with the locking and latching sections respectively.