[0001] The invention pertains to the field of mechanics for anti-mosquito net systems with
horizontal door movement.
[0002] In the present state of the art, these systems use two types of net (mosquito net):
The plain cloth that is wrapped and unwrapped and the pleated net that is folded and
unfolded. The pleated net is folded and unfolded in either fixed horizontal rails
permanently screwed into the upper and lower part of the frame, or within an articulated
rail that enters and exits the box system, together with the net.
[0003] In systems using pleated net, the net is folded into pleats between two vertical
boxes, the restraint box and the sliding box.
[0004] The whole system resembles to a frame, the two vertical sides of which serve as the
restraint box and the sliding box. The restraint box is screwed into one vertical
frame. Simultaneously, a fixed side rail is screwed into the opposite vertical frame.
The sliding box moves parallel between the restraint box and the fixed side rail.
Two fixed rails, screwed into the upper and lower opening of the frame, respectively,
serve as the two horizontal sides. The sliding box moves between the two II-shaped
aluminum horizontal rails, upper and lower, with lateral walls 4 mm high. This way,
the net is folded and unfolded within the horizontal rails. As the user pulls the
sliding box, the pleated net is simultaneously unfolded; whereas the user makes the
opposite movement, i.e. by leading the sliding box back to its original position,
the pleated net is folded.
[0005] Instead of fixed horizontal upper and lower rails, the system may use two articulated
rails, inside the restraint and sliding boxes. As the user pulls the sliding box to
unfold the mosquito net, the two articulated rails, bend and come out of the upper
and lower opening of the restraint box, taking a horizontal position at the upper
and lower opening of the frame. As the mosquito net unfolds, its upper and lower finishing
is always in the articulated rails. When, on the contrary, the user wants to fold
the net and put it back in its original place inside the vertical restraint box, the
user pushes the sliding box towards the original position and simultaneously pushes
both articulated rails, which bend at their joints and return inside the restraint
box, at their original position.
[0006] This present invention is applicable to pleated anti-mosquito nets, both to those
that function with a fixed horizontal rail permanently bolted to the floor, and to
those that function with an articulated rail. During the operation of the anti-mosquito
system, the pleated net folds and unfolds the pleats, aided by ropes which run horizontally
lengthwise. The ropes, placed horizontally and equally spaced, stretch and hold the
net also stretched, in its place when unfolded. They also help the net to refold on
the pleats. All edges of the ropes, on the side of the restraint box, are fastened
by trucks on the plastic axis. The ropes run the net horizontally and longwise and
pass through similar trucks with a hole, which are also mounted on a plastic axis.
Then the whole system "plastic axis - net - ropes - plastic axis" as an autonomous
accessory of the mosquito net, slides into the two vertical rails, and more specifically,
the plastic axis with the fixed ends of the ropes at the trucks slides into the restraint
box, which is screwed firmly in the side frame.
On the contrary, the opposite plastic axis, that is, the one with the edges of the
rope passing through the holes of the trucks, slides in the sliding box, which moves
between the restraint box and the vertical fixed side rail. After passing through
the trucks, the ropes make two groups of equal number of ropes, the upper and the
lower group:
The ropes that pass through the upper part of the net consist of the upper group of
ropes. The ends of the ropes cross downwards the sliding box and then make a single
bundle that crosses horizontally the lower horizontal fixed rail, ending and fixed
to the lower end of the box of the fixed side rail.
The ropes that pass through the lower part of the net consist of the bottom group
of ropes. The ends of the ropes cross upwards the sliding box and then make a single
bundle that crosses horizontally the upper horizontal fixed rail, ending and fixed
to the upper end of the box of the fixed side rail.
[0007] At this point, there is a technical problem with each rope that passes through the
hole of the truck: the continuous opening and closing of the net, by folding and unfolding,
causes the continuous friction of the ropes on the inner lateral walls of the hole
of the plastic trucks, thus cutting the rope. This destroys the mosquito net, as without
ropes the folding and unfolding of the net is no longer possible; thereby, the ropes
and the net need to be replaced.
[0008] Such technical problems may occur in all anti-mosquito net systems that use trucks,
for example, at the systems that are presented at
EP 1653038 A1,
EP 2157274 A2,
EP 1959090 and
JP 8-199948.
The prior art is also disclosed in
CA 2 219 946 A1 which introduces a truck with inner pulley as well. The present invention modifies
the known truck with the pulley of
CA 2 219 946 A1 and introduces a cylindrical surface of the pulley which provides an efficient and
simple guidance of ropes towards the center portion of the cylindrical surface and
away from the cylindrical lateral walls. Also,
FR 2 708 661 A1,
US 564 682 A and
WO 2012/117262 introduce solutions that do not use a truck with an inner pulley, but rather independent
pulleys.
The present invention is a truck according to claim 1, with a pulley rotating around
an axis just at the height of the center of the hole, through which the rope passes,
and with lateral walls of such thickness that the ropes do not come into contact with
the inner walls of the trucks, thus preventing friction. Therefore, the technical
problem causing the cut of the rope is solved. The advantage of this invention is
that the ropes are not cut because of ordinary use and thus the lifetime of the product
is multiplied, i.e. of the entire anti-mosquito net system.
[0009] The attached 10 drawings accompanying the invention show, in short, the following:
Drawing 1 illustrates the anti-mosquito system with a pleated net moving through a
channel of an upper and lower horizontal fixed rail, whereas the rope bundles pass
in front of the pulleys and in detail it shows a truck with a pulley through which
a rope of the lower group passes upwards (Figure 1a), a truck with a pulley through
which the rope of the upper group of ropes passes downwards (Figure 1b) and a truck
of the present state of the art, that is, without pulley, with the end of the rope
fastened to it (Figure 1c).
Drawing 2 illustrates the mode of use of the invention, when the anti-mosquito system
with pleated net moves with upper and lower articulated guides, and illustrates in
detail a truck with a pulley, through which the rope of the lower group passes upwards
(Figure 2a), a truck with a pulley through which the rope of the upper group passes
downwards (Figure 2b), with the rope bundles passing in front of the pulleys and a
truck with pulley, with the end of the rope fastened to it (Figure 2c).
Drawing 3 illustrates the accessories inside the truck with a pulley (Figure 3a),
front view of the truck (Figure 3b), lateral view (Figure 3c), top view (Figure 3d)
and lateral perspective drawing (Figure 3e).
Drawing 4 illustrates the direction of the movement of the pulley and the ropes of
the upper and lower group while the pleated net is unfolded.
Drawing 5 illustrates the mode that ropes of the upper and lower group pass through
the trucks and their direction while the net is unfolded.
Drawing 6 illustrates the direction of the movement of the pulley and of the ropes
of the upper and lower group while the pleated net is folded.
Drawing 7 illustrates the mode that ropes of the upper and lower group pass through
the trucks and their direction while the pleated net is folded.
Drawing 8 illustrates the mode that the ropes pass through the trucks when the invention
is implemented, according to Drawings 1 and 2, and more particularly, the mode that
the bundle of ropes pass through the truck and in front of the pulley, as well as
the rope around the pulley, in front view (Figure 8a), lateral view (Figure 8b), top
view (Figure 8c) and perspective view (Figure 8d).
Drawing 9 illustrates an alternative mode for the use of the invention where the bundles
pass behind the pulleys and in detail, and a truck with a pulley though which a rope
from the lower group passes upwards (Figure 9a), a truck with a pulley though which
a rope from the upper rope group passes downwards (Figure 9b) and a truck of the present
state of the art, that is, without a pulley, with the edge of the rope fixed thereon
(Figure 9c).
Drawing 10 illustrates the front view of the alternative use, illustrated by Figure
9, and more specifically, the mode that the rope bundle passes through the truck and
behind the pulley, and the mode that the rope passes around the pulley, front view
(Figure 10a), lateral view (Figure 10b), top view (Figure 10c), and the truck in a
perspective view (Figure 10d).
An example of how this invention is implemented follows, with a detailed description
and reference to the attached drawings.
[0010] As shown in Drawings 1, 2, 4, 6, ropes, used for the folding and unfolding of the
net, run horizontally and at equal distances the pleated net (7). These ropes are
separated into two groups: the upper group with three ropes (1, 2, 3) and the lower
group with an equal number of ropes (4, 5, 6). In this example, both groups have an
equal number of ropes. At another implementation of this invention, however, the ropes
of the two groups may be not of equal number, but they will be always in a horizontal
position.
[0011] As shown in Drawing 1, the ropes are fixed reversely, that is, the lower group at
the upper space and the upper group at the lower space, and more particularly:
The three ropes from the lower group (4, 5, 6) run the net (7) horizontally and then
join in one bundle (11a) that runs the sliding box (10) vertically upwards around
the pulley (8) that is located at the upper end of the sliding box (10). Then the
bundle (11a), consisting of the three ropes (4, 5, 6) runs inside and horizontally
the upper horizontal rail (12) and is fixed at a point of the upper part of the vertical
fixed lateral rail (14).
Similarly, the three ropes of the upper group (1, 2, 3) run the net (7) horizontally
and then join in one unified bundle (11b) that runs the sliding box (10) vertically
downwards turns around the pulley (9) inside the lower fixed horizontal rail (13).
Then the unified bundle (11b), consisting of the three ropes (1, 2, 3) runs inside
and horizontally the lower horizontal rail (13) and is fixed at a point of the lower
part of the vertical fixed lateral rail (14).
[0012] As shown in Drawings 3 and 8, illustrating the truck with pulley (figure 3a), front
view (3b and 8a), lateral view (3c and 8b), top view (3d and 8c) and lateral perspective
view (3e and 8d), the truck (15) has an inner vacuum chamber with facing openings
at its four sides: up (17), down (18), back (19) and in front with a hole (20) and
at the rear (19) side it has two vertical slots (24). It also has two internal grooves
(21) to support the pulley (23) inside them. The pulley (23) consists of a cylinder
(33) with elliptical surface, with the smallest diameter in the middle of its length
and with cylindrical lateral walls (32). The pulley (23) rotates around the horizontal
axis (22) and is located in such a position providing sufficient space to allow the
passage and the free movement of all the ropes through the truck (15), both from the
front side thereof, that is, between the pulley and the hole (20), and the rear side
thereof, that is, between the pulley and the vertical slots (24).
As shown in Figures 3a, 3d, 8b, 8c and 8d, the cylinder (33) of the pulley (23) has
cylindrical walls (32) the cross-section of which has a diameter larger than the diameter
of any cross-section of the elliptical cylinder (33), so that the bundles from the
ropes (11a and 11b) move continuously between the lateral cylindrical walls (32) of
the cylinder (33) of the pulley (23) and not slide thereof. Moreover, the lateral
cylindrical walls (32) of the cylinder (33) of the pulley (23) have such a thickness
that the internal distance between the surfaces of the walls (32) to be less than
the length inside the opening of the top (17) and bottom (18) side of the truck (figures
3d and 8c). Consequently and as the cylinder (33) of the pulley has an elliptical
form with the smaller diameter in the middle of its length, the bundles of the ropes
(11a and 11b) move continuously between the lateral cylindrical walls (32) of the
cylinder of the pulley (23) and in the middle of the cylinder where the part with
the smallest diameter is. Thus, the ropes never come into contact with the lateral
walls of the top (17) and bottom (18) opening of the truck (15), or the inner walls
of the holes (20) through which the trucks pass, and consequently do not fray and
do not wear.
[0013] Each truck (15) has at the back (19) side vertical slots (24) from which the ropes
(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) pass inside the truck. The slots have an opening smaller than the
thickness of the ropes, so that the ropes pass inside the truck after pressure when
the anti-mosquito system is made and afterwards during the use of the system and not
get out of the truck.
[0014] Drawing 8 illustrates in detail the mode by which the rope passes (1) around the
pulley (23) (Figure 8a), and the mode that the bundle of the ropes (4, 5, 6, bundle
11a) pass inside the truck; front view (figure 8a), lateral view (figure 8b), top
view (figure 8c) and perspective view (figure 8d).
All trucks (15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, 15e, 15f) are fixed on a plastic support axis (25b)
inside the sliding box (10) (Drawing 1, figures 1a, 1b and Drawings 5 and 7).
As illustrated in Drawings 1,3, 5, 7 and 8, the ropes of the lower group (4, 5, 6)
have their end fixed at a simple starting truck (31), a truck of the present state
of the art (figure 1c), on a plastic support axis (25a) inside the restraint box (30).
[0015] As illustrated in Drawings 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7, the rope (6) that runs over the net
(7) at the lower part thereof, runs horizontally the net (7), passes through the hole
(20) of the truck (15f), enters the truck and passes around the pulley (23) of the
truck and from the bottom side thereof, upwards. The pulley (23) is located at such
a height in relation to the hole (20), so that the rope (6) by passing through the
hole (20) and around the pulley (23) from the bottom side thereof, to remain aligned
(figure 1a) and without coming into contact with the inner walls of the hole (20).
At the same time, the walls (32) of the pulley prevent the rope (6) to come into contact
with the walls of the top (17) and bottom (18) opening of the truck (15f) (Drawings
4 and 6). Then the rope (6) after passing around the pulley (23) gets out of the top
opening (17) of the truck (15f) and enters into the above truck (15e) from the bottom
opening (18), gets out of the top opening (17), then enters into the next truck (15d)
above from the bottom opening (18) and exits from the top opening (17), and so on
it passes thus vertically from all the openings (18 & 17) of all the following trucks
above (15c, 15b, 15a) towards the fixed upper horizontal rail (12).
In exactly the same manner, the next rope (5) of the lower group runs horizontally
the net (7), passes through the hole (20) of the truck (15e), enters into the truck
and passes around the pulley (23) of the truck and from the bottom side thereof, upwards.
The pulley (23) is located at such a height in relation to the hole (20), so that
the rope passing through the hole (20) and around the pulley (23) from the bottom
side thereof, to remain aligned and without coming into contact with the inner walls
of the hole (20). At the same time, the walls (32) of the pulley prevent the rope
(5) to come into contact with the walls of the top (17) and bottom (18) opening of
the truck (15e) (Drawings 4 - 7). Then the rope (5), as the previous rope (6), after
passing around the pulley (23) gets out of the top opening (17) of the truck (15e)
and enters into the above truck (15d) from the bottom opening (18), gets out of the
top opening (17), and so on it passes thus vertically from all the openings (18 &
17) of all the following trucks above (15c, 15b, 15a) towards the fixed upper horizontal
rail (12).
Similarly, the next rope (4) of the lower group that runs horizontally the net (7),
passes through the hole (20) of the truck (15d), enters into the truck and passes
around the pulley (23) of the truck and from the bottom side thereof, upwards. The
pulley (23) is located at such a height in relation to the hole (20), so that the
rope passing through the hole (20) and around the pulley (23) from the bottom side
thereof, to remain aligned and without coming into contact with the inner walls of
the hole (20). At the same time, the walls (32) of the pulley prevent the rope (4)
to come into contact with the walls of the top (17) and bottom (18) opening of the
truck (15d) (Drawings 4 - 7). Then the rope (4), as the other two ropes (5, 6), after
passing around the pulley (23) gets out of the top opening (17) of the truck (15d)
enters, through the bottom opening (18) into the above truck (15c). Then the rope
(4) passes vertically, in the same manner, from the openings (18 & 17) of all the
following trucks above (15b, 15a) towards the fixed upper horizontal rail (12).
All three ropes (6, 5, 4) of the lower group end as a vertical single bundle (11a)
to the pulley (8) at the top end of the sliding box (10) (figures 1, 3, 8a, 8b, 8c
and 8d), twine around the box, run along the top horizontal rail (12) and are fixed
at a point located at the above part of the fixed vertical lateral rail (14).
In this way, as illustrated in Drawings 5 and 7, the bundle (11a) of the ropes of
the upper group (4, 5, 6) passes vertically from the openings (17 and 18) of the trucks
(15c, 15b, 15e) and from the side between the pulley (23) and the hole (20), towards
the upper horizontal rail (12). The bundle continuously moves between the lateral
cylindrical walls (32) of the cylinder (33) of the pulley (23) and comes into contact
only with the pulleys (23) of the trucks (Drawings 5 and 7) from the front side of
the pulley, that is, the side between the pulley (23) and the hole (20). Due to the
walls (32) of the pulley cylinders (33), the ropes do not come into contact, and thus
do not wear, either the walls of the hole (20) when entering the trucks, or the walls
of the openings (17) and (18) of the trucks when moving during the folding and unfolding
of the net. Moreover, because of the walls (32) of the pulley cylinders (33), the
ropes do not come into contact with the ropes (1, 2, 3) of the upper group that pass
around the pulleys (23) of these trucks (15a, 15b, 15c). Consequently, the ropes do
not wear.
[0016] The upper group of ropes (1, 2, 3) functions in the same way and conversely.
Specifically, as illustrated in Drawings 1, 3, 5, 7 and 8, the ropes of the upper
group (1, 2, 3) have their end fixed with a simple starting truck (31) (figure 1c),
a truck of the present state of the art, on a plastic support axis (25a) inside the
restraint box (30), in the same way that the ropes of the lower group (4, 5, 6) are
fixed, as described above.
As illustrated in Drawings 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7, rope (1) that runs over the net (7) at
the upper part thereof, runs horizontally the net (7), passes through the hole (20)
of the truck (15a), enters the truck and passes around the pulley (23) of the truck
and from the top side thereof, downwards. The pulley (23) is located at such a height
in relation to the hole (20), so that the rope (1) by passing through the hole (20)
and around the pulley (23) from the top side thereof, remains, aligned (figure 1b)
and without coming into contact with the inner walls of the hole (20).
At the same time, the walls (32) of the pulley prevent the rope (1) to come into contact
with the walls of the top (17) and bottom (18) opening of the truck (15a) (Drawings
4 and 6). Then the rope (1) after passing around the pulley (23) gets out of the bottom
opening (18) of the truck (15a) and enters into the lower truck (15b) from the top
opening (17), gets out of the bottom opening (18), then enters into the next truck
(15c) below from the top opening (17) and exits from the bottom opening (18), and
so on it passes thus vertically from all the openings (17 & 18) of all the next trucks
below (15d, 15e, 15f) towards the fixed lower horizontal rail (13).
In exactly the same way, the next rope (2) of the upper group runs over the net (7),
passes through the hole (20) of the truck (15b), enters the truck and passes around
the pulley (23) of the truck and from the top side thereof, downwards. The pulley
(23) is located at such a height in relation to the hole (20), so that the rope by
passing through the hole (20) and around the pulley (23) from the top side thereof,
remains aligned and without coming into contact with the inner walls of the hole (20).
At the same time, the walls (32) of the pulley prevent the rope (2) to come into contact
with the walls of the top (17) and bottom (18) opening of the truck (15b) (Drawings
4 - 7). Then the rope (2), same way as the previous rope (1), after passing around
the pulley (23) gets out of the bottom opening (18) of the truck (15b) and enters
into the lower truck (15c) from the top opening (17), and so on it passes thus vertically
from all the openings (17 & 18) of all the next trucks below (15d, 15e, 15f) towards
the fixed lower horizontal rail (13).
Similarly, the next rope (3) of the upper group that runs horizontally the net (7),
passes through the hole (20) of the truck (15c), enters into the truck and passes
around the pulley (23) of the truck and from the top side thereof, downwards. The
pulley (23) is located at such a height in relation to the hole (20), so that the
rope, by passing through the hole (20) and around the pulley (23) from the top side
thereof, remains aligned and without coming into contact with the inner walls of the
hole (20). At the same time, the walls (32) of the pulley prevent the rope (4) to
come into contact with the walls of the top (17) and bottom (18) opening of the truck
(15c) (Drawings 4 - 7). Then the rope (3), the same way as the other two ropes (2,
1), after passing around the pulley (23) gets out of the bottom opening (18) of the
truck (15c) enters into the top opening (17) of the next truck below (15d). Then the
rope (3) passes vertically, in the same manner, from the openings (17 & 18) of all
the following trucks downwards (15e, 15f) towards the fixed lower horizontal rail
(13).
All three ropes (1, 2, 3) of the upper group end as a vertical single bundle (11b)
to the pulley (9) at the bottom end of the sliding box (10) (figures 8a, 8b, 8c and
8d), twine around the box, run along the bottom horizontal rail (13) and are fixed
at a point located at the bottom part of the fixed vertical lateral rail (14) (Drawing
1).
[0017] In this way, as illustrated in Drawings 5 and 7, the bundle (11b) of the ropes of
the upper group (1, 2, 3) passes vertically from the openings (17 and 18) of the trucks
(15d, 15e, 15f) and from the side between the pulley (23) and the hole (20), towards
the lower horizontal rail (13). The bundle continuously moves between the lateral
cylindrical walls (32) of the cylinder (33) of the pulley (23) and comes into contact
only with the pulleys (23) of the trucks (Drawings 5 and 7) from the front side of
the pulley, that is, the side between the pulley (23) and the holes (20). Due to the
walls (32) of the pulley cylinders (33), the ropes do not come into contact, and thus
do not wear, either the walls of the hole (20) when entering the trucks, or the walls
of the openings (17) and (18) of the trucks when moving during the folding and unfolding
of the net. Moreover, because of the walls (32) of the pulley cylinders (33), the
ropes do not come into contact with the ropes (4, 5, 6) of the lower group that pass
around the pulleys (23) of these trucks (15d, 15e, 15f). Consequently, the ropes do
not wear.
[0018] Drawings 4 and 5 illustrate the direction of the pulley (23) and rope movement when
the net is unfolded. Drawings 6 and 7 illustrate the direction of the pulley (23)
and the rope movement when the net is folded.
Thereby, when the net (7) unfolds (Drawings 4 and 5), the sliding box (10) moves towards
the fixed vertical lateral rail (14). This movement makes ropes of the lower group
(4, 5, 6) rotate around the pulleys (23) of the respective trucks (15d, 15e, 15f),
counter-clockwise, whereas the ropes of the upper group (1, 2, 3) rotate around the
pulleys (23) of the respective trucks (15a, 15b, 15c), clockwise, and thus the net
(7) is unfolded without fray and wear of the ropes, due to the truck pulleys (23).
On the contrary, when the net (7) folds (Drawings 6 and 7), the sliding box (10) moves
towards the restraint box (30). This movement makes the ropes of the lower group (4,
5, 6) to rotate around the pulleys (23) of the respective trucks (15d, 15e, 15f),
clockwise, whereas the ropes of the upper group (1, 2, 3) rotate around the pulleys
(23) of the respective trucks (15a, 15b, 15c), counter-clockwise, and thus the net
(7) is folded without fray and wear of the ropes, due to the truck pulleys (23).
[0019] An alternative implementation of the invention is illustrated in Drawings 9 and 10;
the invention is the same and functions in exactly the same way when the bundles (11a)
and (11b) of the ropes pass from the back side of the pulley, that is, the side where
the slots (24) of the truck (15) are located and not the front side of the pulley,
that is, the side between the pulley and the opening (20).
[0020] Another alternative implementation of the invention is illustrated in Drawing 2,
when the anti-mosquito system, has, instead of the two fixed horizontal upper (12)
and lower (13) rail, an upper (26) and lower (27) articulated rail (Drawing 2); in
this case, the ropes do not run along the horizontal rails (26 & 27) and are not fastened
on the vertical fixed lateral rail (14). In this case, the ropes run along the net
(7) horizontally, in equal distances between them and alternatively, forming two sets
(set 1, 3, 5 and σετ 2, 4, 6). The ropes of the first set (1,3,5) have the axis (25b)
at the end of the net (7) as a common starting point, inside the sliding box (10)
ending and fastened on the upper (28) end of the upper (26) articulated rail, whereas
the ropes of the second set (2,4,6) have as a common starting point the axis (25a)
at the end of the net (7) inside the restraint box (30) ending and fastened on the
lower (29) end of the lower (27) articulated rail. In this case, at the points at
which the ropes begin (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), starting trucks (31) are used for their
fastening, of the present state of the art, and these trucks are located alternately
on the two axes, the axis (25b) inside the sliding box (10) and the box (25a) inside
the restraint box (30). Then each rope runs horizontally the net (7) and the other
end passes through the truck that has a pulley (15), according to the present invention,
and these trucks are also placed alternately on the two axes, the axis (25b) inside
the sliding box (10) and the axis (25a) inside the restraint box (30), unlike the
starting trucks (31). These kind of anti-mosquito systems require the free movement
of the ropes, at the side of restraint box (30), as well at the sliding box (10).
This free movement is maximized because of the trucks (15) of this invention, which
eliminate the friction of the ropes and facilitate the opening and closing of the
mosquito net.
[0021] The present invention is implemented on anti-mosquito systems that have a pleated
net and move horizontally, that either function with a fixed horizontal rail that
is permanently bolted on the floor, or with an articulated rail.