MOSQUITO NET STRUCTURE

A mosquito net structure for compartments having a triangular portion includes a first insect screen for protecting against insects by closing a triangular portion, a first fixed frame defining a hypotenuse of the triangle, the first insect screen being rigidly attached to the first fixed frame at a relative first perimeter edge, and a first movable handle-bar rigidly connected to a second perimeter edge of the first protective insect screen.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of Italian Patent Application No. 102019000024168 filed Dec. 16, 2019, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in this application.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to a mosquito net structure.

More specifically, this invention relates to a mosquito net structure for compartments of doors or windows of recreational vehicles, such as campervans or caravans.

Yet more specifically, the invention relates to a mosquito net structure for recreational vehicles designed to protect compartments of doors or windows with a non-rectangular shape.

Mosquito nets, meaning the dense mesh insect screens designed to prevent the passage of even small insects, are normally used in recreational vehicles since they are normally used in places (near the sea or lakes) and during periods of the year (in the summer) when the presence of insects such as, for example, flies and mosquitoes is particularly widespread and annoying.

In order to be practical to use, the mosquito nets are usually mounted on special supporting structures which are able to allow a quick opening and closing, so that it is not difficult to use the compartment on which they are fitted to protect.

The most widespread prior art mosquito net structures generally consist of a quadrangular frame with right-angled corners located at the opening of the doors or windows and having a box-shaped crosspiece (also called the box) inside of which is housed an elastic rewinding roller to which is connected a first end of an insect screen designed to prevent the passage of insects. A second end of this insect screen, opposite the first end, is also connected to a handle-bar which is movable relative to the roller. The relative movement for moving the handle-bar away from/towards the compartment determines the unwinding and, respectively, the rewinding of the insect screen of the mosquito net.

As an alternative to the mosquito nets just described with a winding roller, there are widespread mosquito nets comprising pleated insect screens which, when not used to protect the compartment, are closed in a pack at a side wall of the frame.

The prior art mosquito net structures described above are substantially constrained, in terms of their shape, to rectangular forms and, although this does not constitute a particular limitation in the case of houses, it is, on the other hand, in the context of recreational vehicles where designers favour a greater freedom in the design of door and window openings.

SUMMARY

An objective of the described embodiments is to provide a mosquito net structure which allows the limits indicated above to be overcome, allowing the protection of compartments and openings having a non-rectangular shape.

A further objective of the described embodiments is to provide a mosquito net structure which is practical and effective to operate and simple to use.

Yet another objective of the described embodiments is to provide a mosquito net structure which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral denotes in its entirety a mosquito net structure made according to the described embodiments.

The mosquito net structure1, for sake of brevity also referred to simply as structure1, is particularly designed to protect compartments, such as doors or windows, of recreational vehicles such as campervans or caravans.

The structure1of the mosquito net according to the described embodiments is in particular designed to protect compartments having a triangular portion T, labelled with a dashed line inFIG. 2.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the mosquito net structure1comprises a first insect screen2for protection against insects designed to be positioned for closing the above-mentioned triangular portion.

The first protective insect screen2is advantageously of the pleated type, that is to say, having a plurality of pleats in the form of bellows.

The mosquito net structure1comprises a first fixed frame3defining a hypotenuse of the triangle defining the above-mentioned portion T, the first fixed frame3being stably connected to the first insect screen2at a first perimeter edge2aof the latter.

The mosquito net structure1comprises a second insect screen4for protecting against insects which is designed to be positioned for closing a portion of the compartment in the shape of a rectangle (denoted schematically inFIG. 2with a rectangular dashed portion Q1) adjacent to the above-mentioned portion T in the shape of a triangle.

The structure1has a fixed second frame5defining a vertical side of the above-mentioned rectangle Q1.

The second insect screen4is stably connected to the second fixed frame5at its first perimeter edge4a.

According to the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the mosquito net structure1comprises a third insect screen6for protecting against insects which is designed to be positioned for closing a respective portion of the compartment in the shape of a rectangle (indicated schematically inFIG. 2with a rectangular dashed portion Q2) adjacent to both the portions T and Q1described above.

The structure1comprises a plurality of perimeter profiled sections7,8,9which, together with the above-mentioned first and second frames3,5, define for the structure1a respective perimeter frame C.

The structure1comprises a first movable handle-bar10, rigidly constrained to a second perimeter edge2bof the above-mentioned first protective insect screen2.

In the specific field of mosquito nets, the term handle-bar means a profile, generally made of aluminium or rigid plastic material, attached to the insect screen and used for opening or closing the insect screen, preferably with the function of hooking or in any case blocking the mosquito net in one or more different configurations.

As better illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4, the mosquito net structure1comprises a joint11slidably engaged with the above-mentioned first handle-bar10at a relative upper end zone11a, and at the same time defining a pivot, fixed relative to the first frame3, for rotating the first handle-bar10.

With reference in particular toFIG. 4, the joint11comprises a main body12designed to connect rigidly and stably both to the first frame3and to the perimeter profile9of the frame C, and two skids13.

The two skids13are pivoted with relative pins13a(only one of which is visible inFIG. 4) in respective holes made on the main body12, so as to oscillate about a shared axis A perpendicular to the plane ofFIG. 1.

The two skids13are slidably engaged in relative grooves made on opposite outer faces of the profile forming the first handle-bar10.

The above-mentioned grooves, even though not specifically indicated, can be seen by viewing handle-bar10, as illustrated, for example, inFIG. 3.

The joint11with its main body12and skids13defines, for the mosquito net structure1, respective means for linking in a roto-translating manner the first handle-bar10relative to the first frame3, configured to allow the first handle-bar10to rotate about the above-mentioned fulcrum axis A fixed relative to the first frame3and at the same time translate relative to the axis A, to move from a first closed configuration, illustrated inFIG. 2, wherein the first handle-bar10is positioned adjacent to the fixed first frame3and a second open configuration wherein the first protective insect screen2extends for covering the portion T in the shape of a triangle.

According to the second configuration, the first handle-bar10, like the second perimeter edge2bconnected to it, defines a first leg of the triangle defined by the portion T.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the first protective insect screen2has a third lower perimeter edge2cwhich, in the above-mentioned second configuration illustrated inFIG. 1, defines a second leg of the triangle defined by the portion T.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, the structure1comprises a second movable handle-bar14, rigidly constrained to a second perimeter edge4bof the second protective insect screen4.

The second handle-bar14is connected to said first handle-bar10and is designed to move from a first closed configuration, illustrated inFIG. 2, in which it is positioned adjacent to the second fixed frame5and a second open configuration, illustrated inFIG. 1, wherein the second protective insect screen4extends to cover the above-mentioned portion Q1in the shape of a rectangle.

As illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2, the embodiment of the structure1comprises a third movable handle-bar15constrained rigidly to a first perimeter edge6aof the third protective insect screen6.

The third bar handle-bar15is designed to move from a first closed configuration, illustrated inFIG. 2, in which it is positioned adjacent to the perimeter profile8and a second open configuration, illustrated inFIG. 1, wherein the third protective insect screen6extends for covering the above-mentioned portion Q2in the shape of a rectangle.

A second perimeter edge of the third protective insect screen6, opposite and parallel to the first perimeter edge6a, is stably fixed to the perimeter profile8.

As illustrated inFIGS. 1, 3 and 6, the mosquito net structure1comprises a chain16for guiding the above-mentioned third perimeter edge2cof the first protective insect screen2.

The net-guiding chain16, shown in detail inFIG. 6, comprises a succession of interconnected modular elements17.

The guide chain1is configured for also guiding a third horizontal perimeter edge4cof the second protective insect screen.

The above-mentioned third perimeter edges2c,4cof the first insect screen2and of the second insect screen4extend substantially parallel to each other in the open configuration of the insect screens2,4illustrated inFIG. 1.

For this purpose, that is to say, for guiding both the third edges2c,4cof the first and second protective insect screens2,4, the interconnected modular elements17of the chain16have upper and lower wings18,19, designed to contain and guide, respectively, the first protective insect screen2and the second protective insect screen4.

As clearly illustrated inFIG. 6, the upper and lower wings18,19are located on opposite sides of a sliding plane P of the chain16, shown inFIG. 1and representing a dividing line between the triangular portion T and the rectangular portion Q1located below.

As illustrated in detail inFIG. 6, each modular element17has a pair of upper wings18and a pair of lower wings.

The upper wings18and the lower wings19together define, when the respective modular elements17are positioned parallel to the above-mentioned sliding plane P, two respective guiding channels for the first and second insect screens2,4and, in particular, their third edges2c,4c.

Again with reference toFIG. 6, according to the preferred embodiment illustrated and described, the chain16has a first end16adesigned to be stably attached to the first and second frames3,5.

Advantageously, again according to the preferred embodiment illustrated, the above-mentioned first end16aof the chain16defines an element20for stably linking the above-mentioned first fixed frame3and second fixed frame5.

Advantageously, the linking element20defines the reciprocal inclination between the above-mentioned first3and second5fixed frames, thereby also defining the inclination of the hypotenuse of the triangle identified by the portion T.

The net-guiding chain16has a second end16b, shown inFIG. 1, slidable inside the second handle-bar14together with the modular elements17adjacent to it.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings and in detail inFIG. 5, the mosquito net structure1comprises an element21for linking between the first handle-bar10and the second handle-bar14.

The linking element21comprises a first upper portion22integral with the first handle-bar10and a second, lower portion23integral with the second handle-bar14, with the first and second portions22,23pivoted to each other to rotate relative to each other.

In other words, the first handle-bar10and the second handle-bar14are articulated to each other at the above-mentioned linking element21, to form a sort of single articulated handle-bar.

Advantageously, the mosquito net structure1comprises, not shown in the accompanying drawings, net-guiding chains16made in the above-mentioned lower portion23of the linking unit21, designed to facilitate recovery of the chain16inside the box-shaped profile defining the second handle-bar14.

In use, starting from the configuration illustrated inFIG. 1, where all the three protective insect screens2,4,6are extended to cover the respective portions T, Q1, Q2of the compartment, the user wishing to free the compartment for example to pass through it, advantageously grips the third handle-bar15and slides it, parallel with itself, in the direction indicated by the arrow F1, until coming into contact with the vertical profile8, as illustrated inFIG. 2.

Following this movement, the third protective insect screen6, advantageously of the pleated type, is closed in a pack and adopts a completely negligible overall size between the third handle-bar15and the vertical profile8.

Magnetic retaining elements, not illustrated, can help to ensure that this position is stably maintained.

With reference to the configuration illustrated in the drawings of the first10and second14handle-bars, the user pushes them, advantageously gripping the linking element21which joins them, in the direction of the arrow F2.

The first effect of this pushing action is to generate a roto-translation of the first handle-bar10which, thanks to the above-mentioned joint11, simultaneously rotates about the axis A and translates relative to its main direction of extension, until it is substantially superposed on the first fixed frame3, as illustrated inFIG. 2.

In essence, the above-mentioned roto-translation allows the handle-bar10to be superposed on the first fixed frame3, compensating for the difference in length between the leg and hypotenuse of the triangle.

Following the movement of the first handle-bar10described above, the first protective insect screen2, advantageously of the pleated type, closes together in a pack and adopts a completely negligible size between the first handle-bar10and the first fixed frame3.

Simultaneously with the movement of the first handle-bar10, the user, who has gripped the linking element21and is pushing in the direction indicated by the arrow F2, causes the second handle-bar14to slide until it is in contact with the second fixed frame5substantially superposed thereon.

Similarly to what has already occurred with the third insect screen6and the first insect screen2, the second protective insect screen4, advantageously of the pleated type, is closed in a pack and adopts a completely negligible overall size between the second handle-bar10and the second fixed frame3.

The mosquito net structure according to the described embodiments achieves the preset aims and brings important advantages.

A first advantage is due to the possibility of allowing an extremely versatility in the protection against insects for compartments which have a shape different from rectangular or square.

Thanks to the mosquito net structure according to the described embodiments it is in fact possible to protect a wide range of shapes, for example, from the composition of triangular and rectangular portions.

According to alternative embodiments, not illustrated, there may also be protected compartments with curved portions, for example forming the first fixed curved frame. Another advantage is due to the relative simplicity both in terms of construction and use.

Advantageously, the mosquito net structure according to the described embodiments can be used with a wide range of transport vehicles, even, for example, buses.