Abstract:
The window insulating system comprises a mesh scrim sized to fit substantially completely within a window frame and substantially over all of an inside surface of a window pane and positioning and holding means for positioning and holding said mesh scrim closely adjacent the inside surface of the window pane without adhesively fixing said mesh scrim to the window pane or to the window frame with the distance between the mesh scrim and the inside surface of the window pane being between approximately 0.005 inch and approximately 0.050 inch.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/054,371, filed Jan. 22, 2002 abandon, for WINDOW INSULATING SYSTEM, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/587,433, filed Jun. 5, 2000 abandon for WINDOW INSULATION SYSTEM. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is directed to a system for insulating a glass pane in a window or door to keep heat in a room or to prevent heating of a room from outside heat and rays of the sun or to prevent heat or cold from escaping from a room through a glass window or wall. More specifically, the insulating system is directed to a mesh scrim and positioning and holding structure for positioning and holding the mesh scrim closely adjacent an inner surface of a window pane by a surface to surface sticking of a plastic pad, that is mounted on the mesh scrim, to a an inside surface of the glass pane or by mounting the mesh scrim on a roller at the top of the window or wall and training the mesh scrim to move closely adjacent the inside surface of the glass pane when the roller is rotated. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Heretofore various insulating systems for a glass window pane have been proposed including double pane windows, inside and outside storm windows, shades, drapes curtains and mesh scrims. 
     Examples of analogous and non-analogous prior art window covering structures are disclosed in the following analogous and non-analogous U.S. patents: 
     
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 U.S. Pat. No. 
                 PATENTEE 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                    1,711,463 
                           Paul 
               
               
                 3,808,610 
                 Mortensen 
               
               
                 3,834,352 
                 Gervis 
               
               
                 3,924,893 
                 Ferrara 
               
               
                 4,073,998 
                 O&#39;Conner 
               
               
                 4,079,772 
                 Klaenhammer, et al. 
               
               
                 4,098,318 
                 Ruegesegger 
               
               
                 4,103,728 
                 Burdette, et al. 
               
               
                 4,149,982 
                 Eckels 
               
               
                 4,182,088 
                 Ball 
               
               
                 4,272,934 
                 Cowden, et al. 
               
               
                 4,359,792 
                 Dale 
               
               
                 4,399,640 
                 Porter 
               
               
                 4,416,096 
                 Shuster, et al. 
               
               
                 4,436,137 
                 Charles 
               
               
                 4,454,691 
                 Mitchell 
               
               
                 4,486,990 
                 Bauch 
               
               
                 4,514,945 
                 Menchetti, et al. 
               
               
                 4,562,675 
                 Baigis, Jr. 
               
               
                 4,658,555 
                 Steiner 
               
               
                 4,699,842 
                 Jorgenssen, et al. 
               
               
                 4,971,028 
                 Fagan 
               
               
                 4,972,896 
                 Roberts 
               
               
                 5,025,848 
                 Prochaska 
               
               
                 5,669,191 
                 Weaver 
               
               
                 5,850,864 
                 Decker 
               
               
                 5,964,437 
                 Belokin, et al. 
               
               
                 6,053,356 
                 Emoff, et al. 
               
               
                 6,148,867 
                 Matthews, et al. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     However, in the prior art hanging or fixing of barriers adjacent a window, e.g. a storm window structure, a shade, a curtain or a mesh scrim type window covering, such barriers are hung or fixed at a distance away from the window pane, typically one inch or more. Also, the barrier, such as a sheet of plastic was often fixed to a window frame with an adhesive. 
     As will be described in greater hereinafter, applicant has discovered that the insulating effectiveness of a mesh scrim is greatly increased by making the distance between the mesh scrim and the inner surface of the glass window pane as small as possible, i.e., between 0.005 and 0.050 inch, to inhibit, if not completely block the flow of air between the window pane and the mesh scrim thereby to insulate better the window pane. The insulating system of the present invention achieves this close spacing without the use of an adhesive between a glass window pane and plastic clips fixed to the mesh scrim and does not fix the mesh scrim to a window frame with an adhesive. Rather the mesh scrim of the invention is releasably attached to the inside surface of a glass window pane by the surface adhesion of several pad portions of several plastic clips that are secured to the mesh scrim or by training the mesh scrim to hang down directly against the inner surface of the glass window frame. The insulating effect is further enhanced by coloring the mesh scrim with a light color, such as the color white. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, there is provided a window insulating system comprising a mesh scrim sized to fit substantially completely within a window frame and substantially over all of an inside surface of a window pane and positioning and holding structure for positioning and holding the mesh scrim closely adjacent the inside surface of the window pane without fixing the mesh scrim with an adhesive to the window pane or to the window frame and with the distance between the mesh scrim and the inside surface of the window pane being between 0.005 inch and approximately 0.050 inch. 
     In one embodiment, the positioning and holding structure comprises at least two plastic clips each having a tab portion, a pad portion which holds the mesh scrim by a surface to surface sticking of the plastic pad to the inside surface of the window pane and a U-shaped connecting portion. In this embodiment, the plastic pad sticks to or adsorbs (such as by a surface suction or adsorbtion) to a glass window pane in a releasable manner, much like a plastic refrigerator door sticker which is well know in the art. This phenomena is sometimes referred to as adsorbing, surface adhesion, static cling, or simply a surface to surface sticking of a plastic material of its own volition to a metal, plastic or glass surface, which is well known in the art. It is inherent that the plastic clips, which can be fixed to the mesh scrim with an adhesive, will adhere to a glass window pane, by surface adhesion or by a surface to surface releasable sticking of the plastic pad portion to a glass surface, or by whatever one wants to call it. 
     In another embodiment, the positioning and holding structure comprises a roller assembly including a roller mounted at an upper end of a window or wall, an upper edge of the mesh scrim being attached to the roller, and a guide bar or roller is positioned adjacent an upper edge of the window pane for guiding the mesh scrim downwardly closely adjacent the inside surface of the window pane. 
     Recently, an improved window insulating system has been developed which includes a sheet of white plastic mesh scrim, 0.030-0.050 inch laminated (such as with an adhesive) to a thin, 0.005-0.010 thick (preferably 0.007 inch thick) clear PVC sheet. The side of the lamination having the PVC sheet is placed against the inside surface of a window pane and held to the window pane by surface adhesion, adsorbtion, static cling, or by whatever the sticking of a plastic surface to glass surface is called. A tab is fixed to the laminated sheets to enable one easily to pull the laminated sheets off of a window pane. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a window pane having a scrim of the present invention fixed thereto by surface adhesion to the window pane of four plastic clips to the window pane, the clips being adhered to the mesh scrim by an adhesive, with portions of the mesh scrim shown broken away. 
         FIG. 2  is a large corner view of the window and mesh scrim shown in FIG.  1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an elevational sectional view of part of the window frame shown in FIG.  1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view of one form of mesh scrim wherein the strands of the mesh scrim are first coated with a plastic coating prior to weaving. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of another form of mesh scrim wherein the strands of the mesh scrim are first woven and then coated with a plastic coating. 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of the tab shown in FIG.  1 . 
         FIG. 7  is an edge view of the tab shown in FIG.  6  and is taken along line 7—7 of FIG.  6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a plan view of a window with a roller assembly mounted at the top of the window for guiding a mesh scrim over an inner surface of a window pane. 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional view through the window pane, roller assembly and mesh scrim shown in FIG.  8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view of another window insulating system or assembly including a mesh scrim releasably fixed to the inside surface of a window pane. 
         FIG. 11  is an enlarged sectional view of the window insulating assembly shown in FIG.  10  and is taken along line 11—11 of FIG.  10 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  a mesh scrim  10  which is woven from strands of synthetic or natural fiber and which are coated separately prior to weaving, as shown in  FIG. 4  or coated after weaving, as shown in FIG.  5 . 
     The mesh scrim  10  can be obtained from Twitchell Corp. of Dothan Ala., under the trademark TEXTILENE (coated before weaving, preferably with a white coating) or from Snyder Manufacturing, Inc., product no. PCS 1018, a PVC coated scrim mesh, (coated after weaving, preferably with a white coating). In an empirical test, it has been found through thermal imaging of the mesh scrim  10  on a window pane relative to a mini-blind positioned a short distance from the window pane that the mesh scrim provides better insulation and that a mesh scrim which is coated after weaving provided the best insulation. The mesh size is typically defined as 18×14, 840/1000 denier (Snyder) to a woven fabric using 0.025 inch diameter vinyl-coated 1000 denier polyester core yarn (Twitchell). The Snyder scrim mesh has between 0.015 and 0.025 inch rectangular holes therein. Also the mesh scrim was between 0.030 and 0.050 inch thick, typically about 0.040 inch thick. 
     As shown, the mesh scrim  10  is cut to fit as closely and precisely as possible over and adjacent the entire inner surface  12  of a window pane  14  (FIG.  3 ). Typical sizes for the mesh scrim  10  are: 30″×74″, 36″×74″, 48″×74″ and 60″×74″ and custom order sizes. 
     Empirical tests and thermal imaging have brought to light that the best possible insulating value is obtained with the mesh scrim  10  by covering the entire inner surface  12  of the window pane  14 . Thus, while mesh scrims have been used as curtains and shades, their insulating value is limited by the flow or convection of air between the mesh scrim and the window. 
     To provide a close fit of the mesh scrim  10  and adjacent the inner surface  12 , it is first cut to the precise dimensions of a window frame  16  within which the mesh scrim is to be mounted. Then, through the use of specially designed plastic clips  18  which have a surface adhesion to a glass surface, the mesh scrim  10  is releasably fixed or adhered by the plastic clips  18  to an inner surface of a window pane. The plastic clips  18  are made as thin as possible, e.g., 0.040-0.050 inch thick from PVC which has a surface adhesion to a glass surface. 
     In one preferred embodiment, and as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , each clip  18  has a generally U-shape with a large pad portion  20  and a smaller tab portion  22  connected by a U-shaped connecting portion (FIG.  3 ). In one preferred embodiment the pad portion  20  has an areal extent of approximately 1.25″ by 3″ areal extent. The size of the pad portion  20  can vary in size depending on the size of the mesh scrim  10  with which it is used. 
     In one preferred embodiment, the tab portion  22  has an areal extent of approximately 0.375″ by 0.375″ and an adhesive is applied between the surface of the mesh scrim  10  and an inner surface  24  of the tab portion  22  to hold the plastic clip  18  to the mesh scrim  10 . 
     The thickness of the plastic clips  18  should be as small as possible and one thickness which has provided the plastic clips  18  with sufficient strength and holding power is 0.040 inch, ±0.005 inch. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , there is illustrated therein, an insulating system  30  which includes a roller  32  mounted between upright portions  34  and  36  of a window frame  38  adjacent a top portion  40  of the frame  38 . An upper end  42  of a mesh scrim  44  is fixed to the roller  32  and then is trained over a guide roller or bar  46  which is positioned closely adjacent an inner surface  48  of a glass window pane  50 . 
     With the system  30 , the mesh scrim can be held closely adjacent the inner surface  48  of the window pane  50 , and as close as a distance D=0.005 inch. 
     To ensure a close placement of the mesh scrim  44  adjacent or against the inner surface  48  of the window pane  50 , the system  30  further includes a bar weight  52  mounted to the lower margin of the mesh scrim  44 . 
     Another window insulating system is shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  and includes a sheet of white plastic mesh scrim  54 , 0.030-0.050 inch which is laminated (such as with an adhesive  55  (FIG.  11 )) to a thin, 0.005-0.010 thick (preferably 0.007 inch thick) clear PVC sheet  56 . The side of the lamination having the PVC sheet is placed against the inside surface  58  of a window pane  60  and held to the window pane by surface adhesion, adsorbtion, static cling, or by whatever the sticking of a plastic surface to glass surface is called. A tab  62  is fixed to the laminated sheets  54  and  56  to enable one easily to pull the laminated sheets off of a window pane  60 . 
     From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the insulating system  8  or  30  of the present invention provides a number of advantages, some of which have been describe above and others of which are inherent in the invention. Also, modifications can be made to the insulating system  8  or  30  of the present invention without departing from the teachings of the invention. For example, only a pad portion of plastic having an adhesive on one side and a flat planar surface on the other side can be attached by the adhesive to the mesh scrim and then the flat planar surface is pressed against the inner surface of a window pane to attach the mesh scrim to the window pane by surface adhesion. In this way, the distance between the mesh scrim and the inner surface of the window pane can be further reduced. However, it is difficult to remove the pad portions from a window. Nonetheless, this modified system may be preferred where it is not intended to remove the mesh scrim in order to see fully through the window. 
     Accordingly, the insulating system of the present invention is only to be limited as necessitated by the accompanying claims.