INSECT SCREEN

Abstract: An insect screen for affixing to a window frame consists of fixing means (3), such as a burr fastener, which has male elements (4) projecting from ground fabric and which is affixed to the window frame (2), and of a net (5) adjusted to the size of the window frame. The net (5) is so disposed on the fixing means (3) that the male elements engage the meshes (6) of the net so as to retain the net on the window frame (2). When the net is folded back on itself, the male elements engage with the net meshes on both the unfolded and the folded portion of the net.

Description: INSECT SCREEN The present invention relates to an insect screen for affixing to a window frame, which screen consists of fixing means, such as a burr fastener, which has male elements projecting from a ground fabric and which is affixed o' the window frame, and of a net adjusted to the size of the window frame and releasably fixable on said fixing means by engagement between said male elements and the meshes of the net. This invention in particular relates to screens of netting that may be placed over window openings to provide ventilation while preventing the ingress of insects and other small creatures. One type of an insect screen, consists of a wooden frame with a net secured to the frame which is adapted to the size of the window opening and lockable to the window frame, for instance by means of hooks. This insect screen not only is unwieldy but also suffers from the drawback that the frame has to be removed, for instance to permit airing clothes or bedding * British Patent Specification 1,431,011 discloses another type of an insect screen in which a burr fastener is fixed to a window frame and a net cut to the size of the window opening and having a burr * fastener sewn on around its peripheral edge, is releasably fixed to the window frame. Although this type of insect screen is of simple construction, it is disadvantageous in so far as the net cannot be maintained permanently in a folded-back position, for instance to allow airing of clothes etc. French Patent Specification 1,556,224 also discloses an insect screen with burr fasteners on one side of the net. In addition, this screen has two short burr fastener strips on the other side of the net, ' which serve to hold the net when folded back on itself. However, it is not possible to vary the length of the folded-back portion of the net. Besides, the manufactur¬ ing costs will increase by the additional operation that has to be performed in order to apply the supplementary strips. The object of the present invention is to provide an insect screen which obviates the drawbacks of the above indicated insect screens and which, in addition, is a simplified alternative to these prior-art insect screens. This object is achieved by the provision of an insect screen which is characterized in that the male elements are of a length which corresponds to at least the double net thickness, and that the net, for uncover¬ ing at least part of the window opening, is so foldable that the folded portion of the net engages male elements which hold the unfolded portion of the net. The invention will be described in greater detail hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment of the invention and in whichs- Fig. 1 in perspective view shows an insect screen according to the invention which is mounted to a window frame, a net being mounted on the frame and being partly folded back on itself to uncover part of the window opening* and Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line I-I in Fig. 1 and illustrates the retention of the net by a fixing means of the burr fastener type affixed to the window frame. Fig. 1 schematically shows a window frame 2 and an insect screen 1 according to the invention mounted on the frame. To avoid crowding of the drawing, the remaining parts of the window have been omitted. It will be readily understood chat the casement mounted in the window frame need not be removed to permit mounting of the insect screen, at least in the case of side hung casements or sash windows. One part of the insect screen 1 is a fixing means of the burr fastener type. The fixing means or adhering tape 3 comprises a ground fabric which consists of polyamide fibres and which may be a so-called plain weave. In the manufacture of the adhering tape, elastic male elements 4 (Fig. 2) consisting of polypropylene filaments.are braided in the ground fabric A pressure- sensitive adhesive layer is applied on the underside of the ground fabric and serves to retain the adhering tape to the window.frame 2. The overall thickness of the adhering tape is about 1.3 m; the projecting height of the male elements is about 0.9 m ? and the number of 2 male elements ' per cm is about 60. The male elements 4 are interconnected in pairs, each pair forming a. ϋ. The free ends of the male elements are provided with cap—like projections 4a for engaging the meshes 6 of a net 5 being part of the insect screen. The adhering tape 3 can also be manufactured in a-knitting machine, the ground fabric in this case being a net. This type of adhering tape is however; the same as the plain weave mentioned above,- i»e. having independent elastic male elements with cap—like projec¬ tions which protrude above the surface of the ground fabric. The number of male elements may vary, for ins- 2 tance between 50 and 100 per cm of ground fabric. The adhering tape 3 is fixed to the window frame 2 by its adhesive layer 7, preferably around the entire window opening. The other part of the insect screen 1 is a fine- mesh net which is cut to the size of the window frame, such that the net will cover at least the portion of the window that is delimited by the adhering tape 3. The net consists of threads with a glass fibre core and an enclosing sheath of PVC plastic. In this embodi- ment, the mesh width is 1.3 x 1.1 mm and the mesh thick¬ ness is about 0.35 mm. The threads are welded together at each point of junction. The net 5 can be applied on the adhering tape 3 fixed to the window frame 2 and by the exertion of a slight pressure on the portion of the net 5 that is placed on the adhering tape 3, the net can be so urged against the adhering tape that a sufficient number of elastic male elements 4 engage the meshes 6 of the net with their cap-like projections 4a. The object to achieve a simplified and cheap insect screen as compared with the screens disclosed in the above British and French patents has thus been attained, since only one adhering tape need be used and since no treatment of the net, apart from cutting to size, need be made. When one wishes to uncover the window opening, for instance for airing clothes, the net 5 can be folded back on itself and be pressed against the un¬ folded portion of the net, so that the male elements 4 will also engage the meshes 6 in the folded-back portion 5' of the net. This is shown in Fig. 2. Thus, the inven— tion provides a technical effect which has not been possible with the prior-art technique. Another considerable advantage of the insect screen according to the invention lies in that the window will become easily accessible for opening and closing in that the net 5 is readily removed from and applied to the adhering tape 3.

Claims: CLAIM An insect screen for affixing to a window, frame, which screen (1) consists of fixing means (3) , such as a burr fastener, which has male elements (4) project¬ ing • from a ground fabric and which is affixed to the window frame (2) , and of a net (5) adjusted to the size of the window frame and releasably fixable on said fixing means by engagement between said male elements ' and the meshes (6) of the net, characterized in that the male elements (4) are of a length which corresponds to at least the double net thickness, and that the net, for uncovering at least part of the window opening, is so foldable that the folded portion (5 * )of the net engages male elements which hold the unfolded portion (5) of the net. OMPI

Inventors: ISACSSON S
Applicants: ISACSSON S, MITEX GLASFIBER AB
Application year: 1981
Main classification: E06B9
IPC codes: E06B9