[0001] The present invention relates to a mechanism for effecting a controlled retracting
movement of a roller insect-blocking foil means adapted for blocking the entrance
of insects through doors or windows.
[0002] Such roller blind means have a textile structure with a mesh allowing lighting and
fresh air passage, but blocking the intrusion of undesirable insects. These roller
insect-blocking foil means are wound round a drum installed within a housing on top
of the door/window opening, said drum being set in a rotational winding or unwinding
movement to enable retraction or deployment of the roller insect-blocking foil means
respectively.
[0003] The roller insect-blocking foil means when deployed is locked onto hook means at
the bottom of the opening and is automatically wound round the drum when released
from these hook means. Such winding retracting movement of the roller insect-blocking
foil means is effected at undesirably high speed resulting from the resilient spring
means acting upon the drum, such high speed possibly leading to accidents, whilst
reliable operation of the roller blind means may be deteriorated due to frequent high
speed retracting movement thereof.
[0004] With the scope of overcoming the abovementioned drawbacks, mechanisms have been developed
for effecting a controlled retracting rolling up movement of such roller insect-blocking
foil means. Such mechanisms, either mechanical or hydraulic, are often complex clutch
arrangements and lack reliable operation with the passage of time due to rapid wear
of their mechanical components and/or unreliable controlling of temperature dependent
viscosity in fluid operated brake means. By way of example, the viscosity of water
varies between the value of 1,1X10
-3 Nsm
-2 at a temperature of 15° C, the value of 0,8X10
-3 Nsm
-3 at a temperature of 30° C and 0,6X10
-3 Nsm
-2 at a temperature of 50° C. Such problems are enhanced when the mechanisms are operated
in both directions of winding or unwinding the roller insect-blocking foil means,
whilst it must be emphasized that such retarding mechanisms are only necessary to
act in the rolling up direction of winding of said roller insect-blocking foil means.
[0005] It is therefore the object of the present invention to propose a mechanism for the
controlled retracting movement of a roller insect-blocking foil means, said mechanism
comprising wear-free, reliable components and being of simple construction and assembly,
incorporating means for selective activation thereof in the retracting, rolling up
direction of movement of the roller insect-blocking foil means only, and being based
in the connection of the drum moving under the action of resilient spring means during
rolling up or raising of said insect-blocking foil means to a shaft means moving within
a chamber incorporating a relatively viscosity independent chamber filling means to
effect a frictionally enhanced and constantly acting movement of the retarding mechanism,
said chamber filling means being either a malleable solid substance or a fluid means
acting in association with an arrangement of diaphragms being provided with a plurality
of perforations for selectively allowing passage of the fluid means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006]
Fig. 1 shows an illustrative arrangement of a roller insect-blocking foil means particularly
adapted for blocking the entrance of insects.
Figs. 2-4 show illustrative diagrams of the employment of perforated diaphragm means
adapted in the shaft means moving within a chamber incorporating a relatively viscosity
independent chamber filling means for controlling passage of fluid from one to the
other side thereof.
Figs. 5-6 show a perspective and cross sectional view respectively of the layout of
the shaft means moving within a chamber incorporating a relatively viscosity independent
chamber filling means, preferably a malleable solid substance, said shaft means being
connected to the winding drum of the roller insect-blocking foil device.
Figs. 7-8 show alternative arrangements of mounting of the shaft means of Figs. 5-6.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0007] Fig. 1 shows a typical configuration of a roller insect-blocking foil means 1 being
wound around a drum means 8 installed on top of the door or window opening wherein
the foil means is deployed, within a housing unit 4. When the foil means 1 is deployed,
it slides within side profile guide rails 2 that are mounted onto the side wall structure
around the opening by means of bolts 6. A horizontally extending profile 3 at the
bottom end of the foil means 1 constitutes the means of hooking the foil means and
maintaining it at a deployed position by means of hooking mechanisms 5.
[0008] A shaft 16 extends along the drum unit 8 and a resilient spring means 10 is wound
around the shaft 16, said spring means 10 operating so as to be loaded during deployment
of the foil means 1 and unloaded in the reverse direction of movement thereof. The
drum unit 8 and spring carrying shaft 16 are located within the housing unit 4, that
is closed by side plug means 13 being fixedly mounted onto the side wall structure
of the opening.
[0009] The present invention is directed towards handling the problem encountered with the
excessive energy being released by the resilient spring means 10 when the foil means
1 is unhooked and free to rise upwards winding around the drum unit 8. The solution
proposed is the connection of the drum unit 8 to a shaft means 9 that is allowed to
rotate within an environment of increased friction established within the chamber
7, thereby acting so as to retard the movement of the drum unit 8.
[0010] As shown in Fig. 5 or 6, the shaft 9 is provided with a frontal connecting end 19a
that fits within a correspondingly shaped recession 17a of the chamber 7 and with
a rear connecting end 19b being provided with a longitudinally extending opening 19c.
A plug means 17b is fitted around the rear connecting end 19b of the shaft 9 and is
employed in water tightly closing the chamber 7. The side plug means 13 is provided
with an inwardly projecting tubular element 13a that receives the frontal projecting
end 7a of chamber 7, a bolt 18 being used in securely connecting the two elements.
[0011] The shaft 9 is selectively engaged to the drum unit 8 in the retracting, rolling
up direction of movement of the roller insect-blocking foil means 1 only, by means
of an engaging mechanism comprising in combination a pair of cooperating members 20,21
and a spring means 22.
[0012] Member 20 is provided with a first tubular body 20a that is fixedly fitted within
the open end of the drum unit 8, so that it becomes rotatable together with the latter.
Member 20 is further provided with a second tubular body 20b with an opening 20c adapted
to receive the equivalently shaped tubular body 21 b of cooperating member 21.
[0013] Member 21 is provided with a tubular body 21a that extends into the abovementioned
tubular body 21b at one end thereof, whilst its other end is provided with a central
rectangularly shaped opening 21c within which is fixedly inserted the abovementioned,
correspondingly shaped rear connecting end 19b of shaft 9. An elongated pin 8a passes
sequentially through the opening 20c of member 20, the opening 21c of member 21, the
opening 17c of chamber plug means 17b and through the longitudinally extending opening
19c of the rear connecting end 19b of shaft 9, such connection defining a condition
of engagement of shaft means 9 to the drum unit 8.
[0014] The spring means 22 is alternatively located, as depicted in Fig. 7 or Fig. 8 either
in between the side plug means 13 and member 21 or in between abovementioned members
20, 21 of the engaging mechanism, that operates so as to engage shaft means 9 of the
retarding mechanism to the drum unit 8 during the upward movement of the roller insect-blocking
foil means 1 only and disengage the same in the opposite direction of movement.
[0015] In accordance to a preferred embodiment of the invention, chamber 7 is filled with
a malleable solid material, that creates a constant, independent of temperature, frictional
environment for the movement of shaft means 9, thereby causing the desirable retarding
effect. Such malleable solid substance may be selected from a variety of available
substances that have this property of malleability, whilst they maintain their humidity
without being petrified. Suitable chemical compositions of this category are polyester
plasticizers, that have been inorganically thickened and contain a certain additive
quantity of silicon resins that impart to them the friction enhancing desired stick
grade, as well as corrosion resistant characteristics. An example is the commercially
available valve sealant AUDCO VALVE SEALANT 733 that contains a saturated polyester
resin in a proportion of 70%, bentone clay-silica in a proportion of 29.4%, 2-imidazoline
in a proportion of 0.3% and n-oleoyl sarcosine.1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-heptadecenyl in
a proportion of 0.3%.
[0016] In accordance to an alternative embodiment of the invention, chamber 7 is being filled
with a fluid medium, but the mechanism still remains independent of viscosity variations
with temeperature, since fluid flow is primarily controlled by a predefined plurality
and shape of perforations 12a in diaphragm means 12 (Figs. 2-4), said diaphragms 12
being located longitudinally along shaft means 9 within the chamber 7 and dividing
the chamber 7 in two parts and operating so as to effect a retarding movement of shaft
means 9 and accordingly of the drum unit 8 engaged therewith as the fluid contained
within the chamber 7 moves from one part of the chamber to the other. An alternative
simpler engaging mechanism of shaft means 9 to the drum unit 8 is depicted in Figs.
2-4, wherein a simple nut structure 11a mounted along shaft means 9 is fixedly inserted
within the open end of the drum unit 8 and effects engagement of the drum unit 8 to
the shaft means 9 only in the aforementioned direction of withdrawal of the roller
insect-blocking foil means 1.
[0017] It must herein be noted that the invention is not limited to the above illustrative
embodiments that serve the purpose of adequately disclosing the scope of the invention
to those skilled in the art.
1. Mechanism for the controlled retracting movement of a roller insect-blocking foil
means (1) used in door or window openings, said mechanism being installed in a housing
unit (4) being closed by side plug means (13) fixedly mounted onto the side wall structure
of the opening, a drum unit (8) around which winding of said roller insect-blocking
foil means (1) takes place during retracting movement thereof being located within
said housing unit (4), said drum unit (8) being connected to a shaft (16) bearing
resilient spring means (10), said spring means (10) operating so as to be loaded during
deployment of said foil means (1) and unloaded in the reverse retracting direction
of movement thereof, said mechanism being adapted to handle the excessive energy being
released by the resilient spring means (10) when the foil means (1) is let free to
rise upwards winding around the drum unit (8) by connection to means rotatable within
an environment of increased friction established within a chamber (7), said means
acting so as to retard the movement of the drum unit (8) being
characterized by that it comprises in combination:
a shaft means (9) moving within said chamber (7), said chamber (7) being filled with
a relatively viscosity independent filling medium to effect a frictionally enhanced
and constantly acting movement of the retarding mechanism, said shaft means (9) being
provided with a frontal connecting end (19a) that fits within a correspondingly shaped
recession (17a) of said chamber (7) and with a rear connecting end (19b) being provided
with a longitudinally extending opening (19c), a plug means (17b) being fitted around
said rear connecting end (19b) of the shaft (9) and employed in water tightly closing
said chamber (7), said side plug means (13) being provided with an inwardly projecting
tubular element (13a) that receives the frontal projecting end (7a) of chamber (7),
a bolt (18) being used in securely connecting said chamber (7) to said side plug means
(13), and
means for selective activation of said mechanism in the retracting, rolling up direction
of movement of the roller insect-blocking foil means (1) only by selective engagement
of said shaft means (9) to said drum unit (8).
2. Mechanism as claimed in the above claim 1, characterized by that said relatively viscosity independent filling medium is a malleable solid material
that creates a constant, independent of temperature, frictional environment for the
movement of said shaft means (9), thereby causing the desirable retarding effect,
said malleable solid material being selected from the category of polyester plasticizers
that have been inorganically thickened and contain a certain additive quantity of
silicon resins imparting to them a friction enhancing stick grade and corrosion resistant
characteristics.
3. Mechanism as claimed in above claim 2, characterized by that said relatively viscosity independent malleable solid material filling medium
is a chemical composition of a saturated polyester resin in a proportion of 70%, bentone
clay-silica in a proportion of 29.4%, 2-imidazoline in a proportion of 0.3% and n-oleoyl
sarcosine.1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-heptadecenyl in a proportion of 0.3%.
4. Mechanism as claimed in the above claim 1, characterized by that said engaging mechanism comprises in combination a pair of cooperating members
(20,21) and a spring means (22), wherein said member (20) is provided with a first
tubular body (20a) that is fixedly fitted within the open end of said drum unit (8),
so that it becomes rotatable together with the latter and with a second tubular body
(20b) with an opening (20c), and wherein said member (21) is provided with a tubular
body (21a) that extends into a tubular body (21b) at one end thereof and into a central
rectangularly shaped opening (21c) within which is fixedly inserted said correspondingly
shaped rear connecting end (19b) of said shaft means (9), an elongated pin (8a) passing
sequentially through the opening (20c) of member (20), the opening (21c) of member
(21), the opening (17c) of chamber plug means (17b) and through the longitudinally
extending opening (19c) of the rear connecting end (19b) of shaft (9), such connection
defining a condition of engagement of said shaft means (9) to the drum unit (8).
5. Mechanism as claimed in the above claim 4, characterized by that said spring means (22) is alternatively located either in between the side plug
means (13) and said member (21) or in between said members (20, 21) of the engaging
mechanism that operates so as to engage said shaft means (9) to said drum unit (8)
during the upward movement of the roller insect-blocking foil means (1) only and disengage
the same in the opposite direction of movement.
6. Mechanism as claimed in above claim 1, characterized by that said relatively viscosity independent filling medium is a fluid means acting
in association with an arrangement of diaphragms (12) being provided with a plurality
of perforations (12a) for selectively allowing passage of the fluid means, fluid flow
being primarily controlled by a predefined plurality and shape of said perforations
(12a) in said diaphragms (12), said diaphragms (12) being located longitudinally along
said shaft means (9) within the chamber (7) and dividing said chamber (7) in two parts
and operating so as to effect a retarding movement of said shaft means (9) and accordingly
of the drum unit (8) engaged therewith as the fluid contained within the chamber (7)
moves from one part of the chamber to the other.