Screen apparatus

Abstract: The present invention provides a screen apparatus which comprises two pairs of opposed frame portions (12, 13,14,15) provided on the top and bottom sides and the right and left sides, of which a pair of opposed frame portions, serving as screen fitting frame portions (12, 13), fitting and supporting a screen member in between contractibly and expandably, and the other pair of opposed frame portions each forming a sliding guide frame portions (14,15); wherein said pair of sliding guide frame portions (14,15) have flexural elasticity, each of which is secured at an end thereof to one of said screen fitting frame portions (12,13) and the other end is bent and slides along the other screen fitting frame portion along with contraction or expansion of the screen member (11) to maintain a prescribed gap between said pair of opposed screen fitting frame portions (12, 13) at a prescribed flexural sliding position.

Description: The present invention relates to a screen apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel screen apparatus which is useful for installation for opening/closing of an indoor window opening, a partition or a netted door, or outdoor installation, has a high degree of freedom for installation, permits easy operation, and provides satisfactory appearance. Screen apparatuses of various configurations have conventionally been employed as opening/closing apparatuses of window openings and partitions in houses and office buildings. Known typical ones include curtains, blinds, movable partitions and single-leaf screens. While these apparatuses are installed with various materials and various structures, depending upon the proposed purpose of application and use, a requirement common to all the conventional opening/closing apparatuses has been the presence of top, bottom, right and left fixed frame portions. The existence of these fixed frame portions has naturally restricted design and installation of a screen apparatus. These restrictions, while not being so marked as a drawback in the installation of a screen apparatus at the opening of a window or a wall, posed serious problems in appearance, design, installation and operation when using it as a partition of a single-leaf screen. For example, when building a screen apparatus with a foldable/unfoldable screen member (1) as shown in Fig. 13, components essential for permitting folding and unfolding by opening/closing of the screen member (1) include a movable frame portion (2) supporting the fitted screen member (1), a first fixed frame (3) similarly supporting the fitted screen member (1), a second fixed frame (4) opposed thereto, a third upper fixed frame (5) and a fourth lower frame (4) for fixing the first and second fixed frames (3) and (4). When using the apparatus shown in Fig. 13 as a partition, the screen member (1) can be opened and closed, whereas the first to fourth fixed frames (3), (4), (5) and (6) are eyesores and may hinder the move of persons and installation of furniture. When arranging a wire member (7) or a rod on means to prevent breakage of the screen member (1), thereby imparting independence as shown in Fig. 14, these problems become more serious. For the conventional screen apparatuses of various types, therefore, the restrictions resulting from the presence of fixed frame portions have been left unsolved, irrespective of whether the use is as a window opening/closing apparatus or as a partition. In US-A-5,301,733 there is disclosed screen apparatus comprising a foldable screen having a top side, a bottom side, a left side and a right side, the screen extending longitudinally between an upwardly extending left frame member and an upwardly extending right frame member which are arranged for relative longitudinal movement with respect to each other so as to open out or close up the foldable screen, the apparatus further including a longitudinally extending top guide member and a longitudinally extending bottom guide member, each guide member being connected between the left frame member and the right frame member and each guide member being flexible and bent in a transverse direction adjacent one of the left and right frame members so as to provide a free end which moves upwardly and downwardly with respect to the said one of the left and right frame members as the screen is opened out or closed up. In this prior art arrangement, one of the frame members is supported from a top track by a trolley and the screen is also supported along the top track at intervals by means of trolleys. The guide members are flexible tapes which extend over rollers and hang down vertically inside the left and right frame members, or each of the guide members has flexural elasticity providing an elastic restoring force. The present invention is characterised in that the free end of each of the guide members slides along the said one of the left or right frame members, in that the other end of each of the guide members is fixed to the other one of the left and right frame members, and in that the left frame member, right frame member, top guide member and bottom guide member constitute a frame. Preferably, the screen is not supported by the guide members. In one preferred embodiment at least one wire member positioned between the top and bottom guide members extends in a longitudinal direction between the left and right frame members, the wire member supporting the screen along its longitudinal extent between the left and right frame members. Preferably the screen is contained within the frame constituted by the left frame member, right frame member, top guide member and bottom guide member. Preferably, the screen extends between the left and right frame members without being directly supported by the guide members. Certain preferred embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a front view illustrating an embodiment of the screen apparatus of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a front view illustrating another embodiment of the apparatus; Fig. 3 shows a front view illustrating a third embodiment; Fig. 4 shows a front view illustrating an embodiment having castors; Fig. 5 shows a sectional view illustrating an embodiment in which a wire member is stretched; Fig. 6 shows a perspective view illustrating a bent sliding guide frame portion; Fig. 7 shows a perspective view illustrating another type of bent sliding guide frame portion; fitting frame portion (13), and the other end flexurally slides along the other screen fitting frame portion (12) during folding/contraction and unfolding/expansion of the screen member (11). More specifically, upon folding /contraction of the screen member (11), it is flexurally inserted into a hollow portion (121) of the screen fitting frame portion (12). When the force causing the screen member (11) to contract which acts against the elastic restoring force of the guide members (14,15) is released, the sliding guide frame portions (14) and (15) stop sliding. As a result, the gap between the screen fitting frame portions (12) and (13) is held constant. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate an embodiment in which one of the screen fitting frame portions (12) and (13) is secured to a wall surface opening end (16) as a fixed frame portion, and the other serves as a movable frame portion, thus forming a partition between a ceiling surface (17) and a floor surface (18). As is clear from Figs. 2 and 3, the screen apparatus of the present invention does not require four fixed frame portions on the four peripheral sides as in the conventional cases, but required only one fixed frame portion. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a stopper (19) for fixing the stop state at a pre-determined position may be provided in the movable frame portion so as to fix it by bringing it into contact with the floor surface (18) or the ceiling surface (17). It is needless to mention that this stopper is not always necessary. Unlike the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the screen apparatus may be installed at a window opening. As shown in Fig. 4, castors (20) having stoppers may be attached to the bottoms of the screen fitting frame portions (12) and (13) to form a movable partition or the like. With this arrangement, a partition having a required screen area may be formed by securing the castors (20) of the screen fitting frame portion (12), operating the screen fitting frame portion (13) as the movable frame portion, and folding/contracting or unfolding/expanding the screen member (11), and the castors (20) of the screen fitting frame portion (13) as the movable frame portion may be stopped and fixed. The screen fitting frame portion (12) may of course be used as the movable frame portion. In this embodiment, as is clear, the screen apparatus does not have fixed frame portions on the four peripheral sides as in the conventional cases, thus providing a higher degree of freedom in design and installation as a partition or the like and an excellent appearance. Furthermore, a wire member may be used so as to impart independence to the screen member (11). As shown in Fig. 5, for example, a pair of opposed screen fitting frame portions (12) and (13) and a pair of opposed sliding guide frame portions (14) and (15) are provided on the top and bottom sides and the right and left sides, a pleated screen member (11) having a plurality of pleats is fitted and supported foldably and unfoldably in the opening/closing direction on the screen fitting frame portions (12) and (13) and wire members (21) and (22) supporting this pleated screen member (11) are stretched in the opening/closing direction. From among the pair of screen fitting frame portions (12) and (13) supporting the pleated screen member (11), the screen fitting frame portion (12) has turning means (23a), (23b), (24a) and (24b) of these wire members (21) and (22). A pair of upper and lower sliding guide frame portions (14) and (15) not supporting the pleated screen member (11) are secured, on the other hand, to the screen fitting frame portion (13). As is clear from Fig. 5, the upper and lower sliding guide frame portions (14) and (15) are secured at ends on one side to the screen fitting frame portion (13), flexurally slide along the other screen fitting frame portion (12) upon folding and unfolding of the pleated screen member (55), and keep a pre-determined gap between the screen fitting frame portions (12) and (13) at a required stop position of sliding. In this embodiment, the above-mentioned wire members (21) and (22) are stretched between the bent ends of the sliding guide frame portions (14) and (15) and the individual fixing points (25), (26), (27) and (28) of the screen fitting frame portion (13) through turning means (23a), (23b), (24a) and (24b) of the screen fitting frame portion (12), and support the pleated screen member (11) in the opening/closing direction between the screen fitting frame portions (12) and (13). In this structure, the screen fitting frame portions (12) and (13) are slidable independently. In actual operation, however, one of them is fixed, and the other is made movable. In this embodiment, the bent sliding guide frame portions (14) and (15).should have a strength sufficient to resist buckling relative to the tension of the wire members (21) and (22). It is needless to mention that supporting of the pleated screen member (11) by the wire members is not limited to the manner shown in Fig. 5. For the sliding guide frame portions (14) and (15) in the screen apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment, a strip-shaped spring member (29) commonly known as "Convex" shown in Fig. 6, a combination of a strip-shaped spring member(29) and connected blocks (30) of plastics or the like shown in Fig. 7, a combination of strip-shaped members (31) and (32) having different elastic moduli as shown in Fig. 8, a fabric-reinforced plastic strip member, or any other member having flexural elasticity may be appropriately employed. Fig. 9 illustrates an embodiment of the arrangement relationship between the sliding guide frame portions as described above and the above-mentioned wire members: there is provided turning means (33) for inserting the sliding guide frame portion (14) and the wire member (22) into a hollow portion (121) of the screen fitting frame portion (12). The structure is not of course limiting. As shown in Fig. 10, for example, an end of the wire member (22) may be fixed to the hollow portion (121) of the screen fitting frame portion (12) so as to draw out the wire member (22) slidably through the bent portion of the sliding guide frame portion (14). In this case, a larger sliding of the wire member (22) is possible even if the bent portion of the sliding guide frame portion (14) is shorter. The screen member may be a cloth-like member, a sheet-shaped member, a net-shaped member, connected sheets, or a composite member of any of these members, and the shape of the screen member may be a pleated shape having a plurality of pleats, or any other shape. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the pleated screen member (11) is foldable for contraction and unfoldable for expansion, but the screen member may be contractible by winding by means of a roller winder. In this case, as in the case of a roll screen, the roller winder may be provided with a spring mechanism to which rotation resulting from drawout and expansion of the screen member imparts a rotational restoring force in winding/contracting direction, and this roller winder may be arranged at the screen fitting frame portion. Furthermore, other embodiments are contemplated. For example, as shown in Fig. 11, a sliding engagement portion (132) may be provided at the top of the screen fitting frame portion (13), and stable sliding of the screen member (11) and the screen fitting frame portion (13) may be ensured by arranging a fixed frame (34) on the top thereof, and engaging the sliding engagement portion (132) with a groove (341) thereof. In this case, the fixed frame (34) may be housed and installable in the (A) direction in Fig. 11. As shown in the plan view of Fig. 12, a plurality of screen apparatuses (10) in the form of units may be arranged in tandem around a common fixing point (B). It will be seen from the above description that at least some embodiments provide a novel screen apparatus which alleviates the drawbacks in the conventional screen apparatuses resulting from the presence of fixed frame portions, and which has a high degree of freedom in design and installation, with excellent operability and appearance. The screen apparatus in accordance with the invention may be installed as a window opening/closing apparatus, a partition a netted door and various other indoor and outdoor uses. At least some embodiments of the present invention therefore provide a novel screen apparatus which solves the drawbacks of the conventional screen apparatuses as described above, largely improves restrictions in design and installation resulting from the presence of fixed. frame portions, provides satisfactory freedom of design, installability and operability and has an excellent appearance.

Claims: Screen apparatus comprising a foldable screen (11) having a top side, a bottom side, a left side and a right side, the screen (11) extending longitudinally between an upwardly extending left frame member (12) and an upwardly extending right frame member (13) which are arranged for relative longitudinal movement with respect to each other so as to open out or close up the foldable screen (11), the apparatus further including a longitudinally extending top guide member (14) and a longitudinally extending bottom guide member (15), each guide member (14, 15) being connected between the left frame member (12) and the right frame member (13) and each guide member (14, 15) being flexible and bent in a transverse direction adjacent one (12) of the left and right frame members so as to provide a free end (25, 26) which moves upwardly and downwardly with respect to the said one (12) of the left and right frame members as the screen (11) is opened out or closed up, each of the guide members (14, 15) having flexural elasticity providing an elastic restoring force, characterised in that the free end (25,26) of each of the guide members (14, 15) slides along the said one of the left or right frame members (12), in that the other end of each of the guide members is fixed to the other one (13) of the left and right frame members, and in that the left frame member (12), right frame member (13), top guide member (14) and bottom guide member (15) constitute a frame. Screen apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the guide members (14, 15) do not support the screen (11). Screen apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that at least one wire member (21,22) positioned between the top and bottom guide members (14, 15) extends in a longitudinal direction between the left and right frame members (12, 13), the wire member supporting the screen (11) along its longitudinal extent between the left and right frame members. Screen apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the screen (11) is contained within the frame constituted by the left frame member (12), right frame member (13), top guide member (14) and bottom guide member (15). Screen apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that one of the left and right frame members (12,13) is fixed. Screen apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that the fixed frame member (12,13) is fixed to an opening of a window, a wall, an opening of a wall, furniture, a post, a ceiling, or a floor. Screen apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the said one of the left and right frame members (12, 13) has a hollow portion within which the free ends (25,26) of the guide members (14,15) are received. Screen apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that each guide member (14,15) is a strip-shaped spring member (29), a combination of a strip-shaped spring member and connected blocks (29,30), a combination of strip-shaped members having different elastic moduli (31,32), or a strip-shaped fibre-reinforced plastic member. Screen apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the screen (11) is a cloth, a sheet, a net, connected sheets, or a combination thereof or a composite member thereof. Screen apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the screen (11) is a pleated screen having a plurality of pleats, which fold upon contraction of the screen (11). Screen apparatus as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that an end of the wire member (21,22) is secured to, or slidably engaged with, the transversely bent portion of one of the flexible guide members (14,15), extends through turning means (23,24) provided on the said one (12) of the left and right frame members, and extends to the other (13) of the left and right frame members (12,13). Screen apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that a roller winder for winding and contracting the screen (11) is arranged on one of the left and right frame members (12,13). Screen apparatus as claimed in claim 13, characterised in that the roller winder is provided with a spring mechanism in which rotation resulting from opening out of the screen (11) adds rotational spring force in a closing up direction. The combination of a plurality of screen apparatuses as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that at least two of the screen apparatuses have a common fixed point for a left or right frame member (12).

Inventors: TSUCHIDA OSAMU, TSUCHIDA, OSAMU, Tsuchida, Osamu, c/o Metaco Inc.
Applicants: METACO INC, METACO INC.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: E06B9
IPC codes: E06B9