Abstract:
A security panel apparatus and a method for covering window and door openings in buildings using the security panel apparatus are disclosed. In one embodiment, the security panel has a main panel, a plurality of sides, and flanges. The flanges have apertures for securing the security panel to the outer surface of the building. Because in practice a service provider is likely to carry multiple panels to a building that needs securing, there is a desire to stow the panels with an efficient use of space in mind both in the warehouse and in the service vehicle. For this reason, the sides form an angle with the main panel that is greater than 90 degrees to facilitate nesting multiple panels.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for preventing unauthorized access to a building. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    When buildings are unoccupied, to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to the building through window and door openings, it is known to board up access points, windows and doors, with plywood. However, plywood tends to deteriorate over time as a result of weathering. Furthermore, plywood is relatively easy to breach by a determined vandal. 
         [0003]    Some products involve the removal of the window or door and replacing it with a steel covering. The steel covering is affixed to a bar that is inserted through the window opening. However, there are several problems with this approach in some applications. Often in areas in which such security panels are recommended to avoid theft of hot water heaters, furnace, and copper piping, the housing stock is older and the local economy is depressed. In such areas, the windows are older wooden windows that are damaged in the process of removal. Reinstallation is expensive, at the very least. In some cases, particularly with older wood-framed windows, the windows are replaced with new windows as they cannot be refitted into the window reliably. In an economically-depressed area, the cost of replacing even some of the windows outstrips the cost of other alternatives: reinstalling the stolen property, removing the commonly-stolen hardware for safekeeping in a warehouse, or hiring a guard. Additionally, older homes can have non-uniform sizing of windows and frames that are not square, the steel coverings are custom fit or, at the least, custom adjusted for many of the windows. Presently, the purveyors of the steel coverings of this type have a lead time of at least a week. In some applications, that is just too long because opportunist thieves will have already removed the hardware for which there is a black market. An additional problem with the panels fitted in window openings is that the installer needs access to both the interior and exterior of the building. 
         [0004]    A security panel  10  disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,091,112 may be placed over the door or window and secured directly to the exterior of the building as shown in  FIG. 1 . Security panel  10  has a main panel section  11  that has stiffening bends  12  that extend diagonally between the corners of security panel  10  and bend slightly of the plane of security panel  10  toward its forward side, i.e., away from the building when security panel  10  is installed. A plurality of sides (not visible in  FIG. 1 ) extend away from main panel section  10  toward the opening in the building when the security panel is in an installation position. The sides extend normally from main panel section  10 . A plurality of flanges  18  each extending away from one of the sides. The side flanges are normal to the sides. 
         [0005]    Main panel section  11  has a plurality of small holes  14  for the purposes of ventilation and light transmission. Flanges  18  have holes  20 . Fasteners can be put through holes  20  to mount to a building. 
         [0006]    In practice, when a building is newly vacant, a service provider is called to the property. The service provider brings multiple panels to install over doors and windows. A problem with the panels disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,091,112, is that they are quite large because they are fitted over the door. So, the outer dimensions of the panels are larger than the largest door for which the panel is designed and include edges that extend even further for the securing holes by which they are affixed to the building. Furthermore, they stand out from the building several inches. Thus, a service provider called to secure multiple homes each with three doors and twelve windows as an example, the space required in the service vehicle is significant to accommodate the security panels. A similar issue occurs in the warehouse. When the security panels are stored in a warehouse, the space occupied by hundreds of such panels is nontrivial. 
         [0007]    Another problem with the panels disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,091,112 is that the fasteners are accessible from the exterior of the building. A thief or gang of thieves with a screwdriver can remove the fasteners to take off the security panel to gain access. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    Security panels that overcome problems in the prior art are disclosed herein. 
         [0009]    A security panel for covering an opening in a building that has a central panel section, a plurality of sides extending away from the central panel section toward the opening in the building when the security panel is in an installation position, and a plurality of flanges each extending away from one of the sides in a direction generally parallel. The flanges are coplanar and the sides form an angle with respect to the flanges that is greater than 90 degrees to thereby allow nesting of multiple security panels. The panel may further have a plurality of apertures formed in at least two of the flanges to allow the security panel to be secured to the building over the opening. At least some of the plurality of apertures are configured to allow the security panel to be hung in the installation position from a plurality of locating security head fasteners installed proximate to one or more edges of the opening in the building. 
         [0010]    In some embodiments, the main panel has at least two stiffening bends formed therein that intersect. In some embodiments the two stiffening bends form a peak that points inwardly toward the building when in the installation position. 
         [0011]    In some applications, the main panel section has a rectangular opening with a door section that is approximately the size of the rectangular opening and a hinge attached between the main panel section proximate a first of the edges of the rectangular opening and a first edge of the door section. 
         [0012]    The hinge may be a piano hinge. 
         [0013]    In some embodiments, the main panel section has a tab extending outwardly from the building when in the installation position, the tab is proximate a second of the edges of the rectangular opening, the second edge of the rectangular opening is opposite the first edge of the rectangular opening, the door section has a tab extending outwardly from the building when in the installation position, the tab is proximate a second of the edges of the door section, the second edge of the door section is opposite the first edge of the door section, both the tab in the door section and the tab in the main panel have holes defined there, and when the door section is nearly parallel with the main panel section, the holes in the tabs align. A padlock which engages with the holes in the two tabs may be provided. 
         [0014]    In some embodiments, security head fasteners extending through the apertures are provided. Heads of the security head fasteners have a nonstandard opening which allow a complementary mating bit to engage with the security head fasteners. The security head fasteners disallow commonly available bits to be used to remove security head fasteners. 
         [0015]    Also disclosed is a method for installing a security panel over an opening in a building. A plurality of security head fasteners is placed into the building. A security panel is aligned over the opening in the building. The security panel includes: a central panel section, a plurality of sides extending away from the central panel section toward the opening in the building when the security panel is aligned over the opening in the building, a plurality of flanges each extending away from one of the sides, the flanges being coplanar, a first plurality of apertures defined in the flanges that engage with heads of the security head fasteners, and a second plurality of apertures defined in the flanges that are circular with a diameter allowing a shank of the keyed fastener to pass through and prevents the head of the keyed fastener to pass through. The security panel is hung from the first plurality of security head fasteners. 
         [0016]    A first portion of the plurality of the apertures are keyhole shaped to allow the security panel to be hung on the first plurality security head fasteners that are installed into the building prior to placing the security panel in an installation position. A second portion of the apertures are circular. The second portion of apertures accept the second plurality of security head fasteners when the security panel is in the installation position. 
         [0017]    The method further includes securing the second plurality of security head fasteners through the second portion of apertures into the building using a mating bit that engages with the security head fasteners. 
         [0018]    In some embodiments, the security panel further includes a door section that is approximately the size of the rectangular opening and a hinge attached between the main panel section proximate a first of the edges of the rectangular opening and a first edge of the door section. The main panel section has a tab extending outwardly from the building when in the installation position. The tab is proximate a second of the edges of the rectangular opening. The second edge of the rectangular opening is opposite the first edge of the rectangular opening. The door section has a tab extending outwardly from the building when in the installation position. The tab is proximate a second of the edges of the door section. The second edge of the door section is opposite the first edge of the door section. Both the tab in the door section and the tab in the main panel have holes defined therein. When the door section is nearly parallel with the main panel section, the holes in the tabs align. The method further including: causing the holes in the tabs to align, placing a shackle of a padlock through the holes in the tabs, and locking the padlock. 
         [0019]    Also disclosed is a method to manufacture a security panel, that includes cutting a piece of sheet metal to a desired shape, cutting a plurality of apertures into the sheet metal, bending at least two of the edges of the sheet metal to form sides, the sides forming an angle of greater than 90 degrees with a central portion of the security panel to thereby allow nesting of multiple security panels, and bending at least two of the sides to form flanges, the flanges being substantially parallel and lying in the same plane. 
         [0020]    The method may also include forming at least two intersecting stiffening bends in the security panel wherein the bends form at least one peak which points inwardly in the same direction that the sides extend from the central portion of the security panel. 
         [0021]    The plurality of apertures has a first portion that allows a head of a keyed fastener to pass through and a second portion that allows a shank of the keyed fastener to pass through and prevents the head of the keyed fastener to pass through. 
         [0022]    In some embodiments, the desired shape includes an opening in the central portion of the security panel. The method may further include: cutting an ingress opening into the security panel, cutting two slits proximate the ingress opening, bending a tab proximate the ingress opening and the two slits, cutting a door from another piece of sheet metal, bending a tab into the door, installing a first side of a hinge onto the security panel proximate an edge of the ingress opening that is opposite the edge on which the tab is formed, and installing a second side of the hinge onto the door proximate an edge of the door that is opposite the edge on which the tab is formed. 
         [0023]    The tab proximate the ingress opening in the security panel and the tab on the door each have an orifice defined therein to accept a shackle of a padlock and the two orifices align when the hinge is fully installed and the door is proximate the ingress opening. 
         [0024]    The method may further include forming at least two stiffening bends in the security panel wherein the stiffening bends form a peak and the peak extends inwardly in the same direction that sides extend. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are a front view and an end view of a prior art security panel; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is an end view of a plurality of prior art security panels as may be stowed in a storage facility or in a service truck; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  is an end view of a security panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the security panel installed onto a building; 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the security panel of  FIGS. 4 and 5 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 7  is an end view of a plurality of security panels nested together; 
           [0031]      FIG. 8  is a front view of a sheet metal cut out to form a security panel that includes an ingress opening and a door that can be fitted over the ingress opening; 
           [0032]      FIG. 9  shows a process by which a security panel is fabricated; and 
           [0033]      FIG. 10  shows a process for installing a security panel onto a building. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0034]    As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features of the embodiments illustrated and described with reference to any one of the Figures may be combined with features illustrated in one or more other Figures to produce alternative embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. However, various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of the present disclosure may be desired for particular applications or implementations. Those of ordinary skill in the art may recognize similar applications or implementations whether or not explicitly described or illustrated. 
         [0035]    In  FIG. 4 , an end view of a security panel  110  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Security panel  110  has sides  116  that are bent with respect to a central portion  111 . Flanges  118  are bent from sides  116 . The flanges  118  are coplanar (lying in the same plane) so that they sit against the building surface. Sides  116  and flanges  118  form an angle  124  that is greater than 90 degrees. Sides  116  are displaced from perpendicular from flanges  118  by an angle  126 . In some embodiments, stiffening bends  112  are formed in central section  111 . The peak of bends extends inwardly, i.e., toward flanges  118 . A fastener  26  is shown going through an aperture in flange  118 . 
         [0036]    In  FIG. 5 , a side view of security panel  110  is shown attached to a building  150 . Fasteners  26  go through flanges  118  that sit against the surface of building  150 . In  FIG. 5 , security panel  110  has flanges  118  on the top side and the sides, but not on the bottom edge. Edges  116  are included on the top and bottom edges and edges  116  on the side edges of security panel  110 . In some alternative embodiments, there is no edge  116  provided on the bottom side. In other alternatives, there is no flange  118  or edge  116  on the upper side. 
         [0037]    In  FIG. 6 , security panel  110  has sides  116  and  117  on four edges of security panel  110 . Flanges  118  are provided on one of sides  116  and two of sides  117 . Flanges  118  each have a plurality of apertures to accept fasteners  26  that secure security panel  110  to building  150 . Sides  117  are visible in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0038]    In  FIG. 7 , six security panels  110  are nested. The space taken up by six panels  110  compares favorably to six prior art panels  10  in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0039]    In some applications, it is desirable to allow ingress to the building by authorized persons. For example, if the building were for sale, it would be desirable to be able to show interested parties the interior of the building. 
         [0040]      FIG. 8  shows a security panel system  250  that allows such ingress. A security panel  200  is shown prior to bending, i.e., in a flat sheet prior to completing the fabrication of the panel. The exterior edges may be cut via a shears, a laser cutter, a die for stamping, or any suitable tool. The more intricate interior edges may be formed by a laser cutter, a punch, a stamp, or any suitable tool. Sides  202  are shown between two dashed lines, the dashed lines indicating where bends are to be made. Flanges  204  are outboard of edges  202 . Flanges  204  have a plurality of apertures  206  that accept fasteners (not shown). An upper side  210  has a flange  212  with keyhole shaped apertures  214 . The lower portion of keyhole aperture  214  is large enough for the head of the fastener to go through. Three fasteners can be affixed to the building spaced as apertures  214  are spaced. Apertures  214  are placed over the fasteners. Then, the weight of security panel  200  causes it to drop down so that shanks of the fasteners engage with the upper portion of apertures  214  through which the heads of fasteners cannot travel. 
         [0041]    An ingress opening  220  is formed in security panel  200 . A tab  222  is formed in security panel  200 . It is bent along the dashed line proximate tab  222  and bent outwardly. To facilitate the bending of tab  222 , slits  224  are also cut in security panel  224 . On the opposite edge of ingress opening  220  from tab  222 , a piano hinge  228 , or any suitable type hinge is provided. Tab  222  has an opening  226  formed therein. A door  240  is cut from a piece of sheet metal or any suitable material. A tab  242  is formed by bending along the dashed line. An opening  246  is formed in tab  242 . In some embodiments, stiffening bends  244  are provided in door  240 . To assemble, edge  248  of door  240  is affixed to hinge  228 . Door  240  can pivot around hinge  228  to allow access to ingress opening  220 . To secure the building, a shackle  262  of a padlock  260  are placed through openings  226  and  246 . Then padlock  260  is shut and door  240  remains in a closed position. 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , a process by which a security panel can be fabricated. In block  300 , the outer edges of the security panel are cut from a sheet. In block  302 , apertures are defined in the sheet. The apertures may include keyhole shaped apertures and round apertures for securing the panel to a wall; apertures through the panel to allow light and prevent moisture buildup behind the panel; and apertures in a security panel with an ingress door for placing a padlock. The sides are bent in block  304 ; and the flanges are bent in block  306 . Stiffening bends are formed in block  308 . As this is an optional part of the process, it is shown with a dash-dot block. Security panels over doors in which there is no need for ingress and for most windows, the fabrication is complete. However, in embodiments in which ingress is desired, the process continues in block  310  in which an ingress opening is cut. The processes in  FIG. 9  are described in one non-limiting order and other orders of processes are contemplated by the inventors of the disclosure. For example, block  310 , in which an ingress opening is made could be combined with process  300 . In block  312 , slits are cut proximate the ingress opening which facilitates the bending of a tab proximate the slits in block  314 , such tab providing a spot to secure the door edge away from the hinge to the security panel with a padlock, or other suitable securing device. The hinge is installed on an edge of the door opposite the tab in block  316 . In block  318 , a door is cut out from a sheet, such as from sheet metal. In block  320 , a tab is folded in the door. And, the door is affixed to the hinge in block  322 . 
         [0043]    Referring now to  FIG. 10 , multiple fasteners are installed into a wall of the building over an opening such as a window or door in block  350 . Such fasteners are only partially installed into the wall and arranged in a predetermined alignment that corresponds with the multiple keyhole-shaped apertures of the security panel. Keyhole-shaped apertures in the security panel are aligned over the fasteners in the wall in block  352 . The keyhole-shaped apertures are placed onto the fasteners in block  354 . The keyed fasteners are tightened using a complementary bit that mates with the security head fasteners in block  356 . The fasteners are placed through the remaining apertures and installed into the wall in block  358 . 
         [0044]    There are a variety of standard bits (tips of screwdrivers or other tools) that are commonly used: flat, Phillips, and hex, to name a few. Because the heads of the fasteners are externally accessible, the security panel could be removed by a diligent vandal. According to one embodiment, custom fasteners, called security head fasteners herein, with a mating bit that are used because they difficult to duplicate and deters opportunist thieves. Such security head fasteners can be ordered from a manufacturer who agrees not to sell your custom bits and fasteners to other customers. 
         [0045]    While the best mode has been described in detail with respect to particular embodiments, those familiar with the art will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments within the scope of the following claims. While various embodiments may have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments with respect to one or more desired characteristics, one or more characteristics may be compromised to achieve desired system attributes, which depend on the specific application and implementation. These attributes include, but are not limited to: cost, strength, durability, life cycle cost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. The embodiments described herein that are characterized as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of the disclosure and may be desirable for particular applications.