Abstract:
An escapable area well cover includes an elevated body having a top gently sloping away from a building, and a trio of sides that extend generally vertically. A casement window is pivotal beneath the cover, and may be either right or left hinged and still fully opened. The cover additionally includes a pair of flanges adjacent the building that permit the cover to conform to irregular building surfaces while also increasing the strength of the cover. A second pair of flanges cooperates with the top of the area well, to both support the cover and also shed moisture away from the area well. The cover is most preferably fabricated from an ultraviolet resistant plastic such as UV protected polycarbonate, and may be formed by many different techniques, but is most preferably vacuum thermoformed.

Description:
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application serial No. 60/242,289 filed Oct. 20, 2000, the contents which are incorporated herein by reference in entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention pertains generally to subterranean rooms or building structures that require human access in the event of an emergency, and more specifically to area well covers suitable for use with windows of the egress type that have an adjacent area window well which must remain accessible from either direction in the event of an emergency. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     As human civilization has advanced through the ages, there has been a developing awareness of the need for safety in building structures in order to preserve human life. The desire to preserve life has led to improvements in many areas, including the implementation of standard building codes that regulate electrical wiring, plumbing and even access routes into and from various rooms. 
     The need to regulate access routes has stemmed from the otherwise needless loss of life that has occurred when fire blocks a single access route. Fires may travel down common pathways such as hallways and the like with little impediment. In such a situation, a person who is otherwise fully capable of movement may not have the opportunity to leave a room or area unless another exit pathway is available. In such an instance, it is highly desirable for an occupant to have an alternative passageway, such as through a window or doorway to the ground level. For ground level rooms, this is normal construction. Nearly all ground level rooms have an entrance through a hallway or the like, and an exit through some type of window or doorway. However, subterranean structures, such as basements and lower levels within homes do not always have sufficient ground clearance for an ordinary window or door access portal. 
     In order to meet the need for subterranean access to and from the building exterior, specially designed windows, referred to in the trade as egress windows, have been designed. Egress windows permit the emergency evacuation of a partially or completely subterranean room in the event other access pathways are blocked. Wells are provided in the ground adjacent each window which enable the window to admit both light and air, and open fully to permit evacuation through the window opening. The window wells, which may extend three or more feet below the surface of the ground, are typically shored with corrugated steel reinforced walls imbedded in the ground and attached to the building wall adjacent the window. 
     These egress windows are most preferably designed to enable access from both directions. In other words, a person otherwise trapped within a room may exit the room through the egress window. Additionally, a firefighter or other emergency personnel may gain access to the room by entering through the egress window. With this dual directionality of the egress windows, building codes have been adopted that require the windows to be sufficiently large to permit a firefighter to enter through the window with an air tank or the like. Consequently, the size of an area window well has become relatively large. 
     In the warmer and more arid climates, egress windows generally perform satisfactorily throughout the year, and with little maintenance. Furthermore, in these climates, the size of the area window well is generally of little consequence. However, in climates where there are a preponderance of trees, leaves tend to accumulate within the area well. Leaves tend to conceal other more serious obstacles, such as sticks or other objects which may prevent the egress window from opening sufficiently to permit safe passage therethrough. Consequently, even a seemingly harmless accumulation of leaves within an area window well can ultimately lead to the unnecessary loss of life. In more northern climates, particularly where snow and ice accumulate through the winter months, additional problems have been encountered with area wells. Where snow and ice accumulate, the snow may tend to fill the area well. A number of hazards result from this build-up of snow, including the risk of the snow or ice blocking the egress window from opening. In such a situation, the window can no longer fulfill the function of safe passage. 
     With a large area window well, another hazard is created. Both humans and animals that are passing near the building structure may accidentally fall into it. While this is an unlikely event by day when the ground is clear, the risk is much greater at night or when natural coverings such as leaves or snow accumulate. All too frequently, homeowners have had the unpleasant experience of a skunk or other wild animal accidentally falling into the area well during the night, or children playing after dark forgetting about the area window well. Similarly, when snow accumulates, it maybe impossible to even know that an area window well is present adjacent the house. There have been numerous instances of people falling through snow drifts into wells, and on occasion these people have needlessly injured themselves. Obviously, in more northern locals where the snow gets so deep to completely conceal the existence of the area window well, passage through the window may also be impossible. 
     In order to keep debris out of area wells, there have been proposed various well covers. One type of cover used in the prior art is a metal grating, which protects humans and animals from passing accidentally into the well. This metal grating was designed prior to the development of egress windows, and so is intended only to admit light and air and does not extend above a window such as the casement type windows. Consequently, the grating interferes with window motion where the window top extends above the top of the area well. In addition, the grating still allows smaller animals to pass through, and further allows debris, including leaves, sticks and snow to pass therethrough. Consequently, it is also still quite possible for the window to be blocked and rendered useless, even where the design would otherwise be well suited. Further limiting the use of a grating is the extreme difficulty for an installer to accommodate irregular building surfaces. While many foundations are consistent, some have significant obstacles or variants that seriously complicate the installation of a grating. 
     Flat translucent plastic covers provide several advantages over the metal gratings, including lower weight and typically lower cost, admission of light, exclusion of snow and debris, and more ready modification to accommodate irregular building surfaces. These types of covers are for example illustrated by Slade in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,048,897, 3,048,900, and 3,703,791, and also by Frost in U.S. Pat. No. 3,232,014, each which are incorporated by reference herein. In these patents, a flat or generally flat cover is used to cover a window well, and various clips are illustrated therein for retaining the cover to well. While these patents addressed the need to keep debris out of the older window wells, these covers are of no benefit for modem egress windows, which frequently extend above the surrounding window well top. In such instances, the Slade covers will again prevent the casement window from opening and will consequently create a hazard. 
     Other designs have illustrated a domed cover, and include such patents as U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,489 to Ivy; U.S. Pat. No. 3,123,868 to Gust; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,500 to Mackes. While these patents offer some benefits not found in the prior art, they still do not adequately address the operation of a casement type window, nor do they provide adequate means for attaching to irregular building surfaces. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In a first manifestation, the invention is an area window well cover for enclosing a generally horizontal top opening of an area window well. The cover accommodates a diverse variety of building exterior wall surfaces and geometries, including flat and smooth regular walls and also including irregular surfaces that are not flat and smooth. A body member extends generally across the top opening of the area window well. A wall flat-mount flange extends at an angle from the body member in a plane generally parallel to the building exterior wall. A modifiable wall accommodating flange extends at an angle from the wall flush-mount flange and also at an angle relative to the building exterior wall. The modifiable flange is operatively modified to accommodate a diverse variety of building exterior wall surfaces and thereby fully enclose an area window well. 
     In a second manifestation, the invention is an area window well cover for enclosing a top opening of an area window well located adjacent a building exterior wall. The cover allows the top of a generally planar casement window, that extends above a top of the area well, to rotate from a closed position to an open egress position underneath the cover. The cover includes a top body member which, when placed in operative position, extends generally above the window top irrespective of whether the casement window is closed, open or between. The top body member extends primarily horizontally from the building exterior wall with a gentle slope therefrom, and has a geometry that operatively accommodates movement of said casement window. The cover also has a first side body member that is adjacent each of the building exterior wall, a first edge of the top body member and the area window well, and thereby forms a generally vertically extending, substantially planar surface. A second side body member is adjacent the building exterior wall, area window well, and a second edge of the top body member distal to the first edge of the top body member, and thereby form a generally vertically extending substantially planar surface. A third side body member is adjacent the top body member, first and second side body members and the area window well, thereby forming a generally vertically extending substantially planar surface. 
     In a third manifestation, the invention is a method for enclosing an area window well adjacent a building surface. The method includes the steps of determining standard window well dimensions that are most closely associated with the area window well; forming an area window well cover having a dome, a first flange and a second flange to fit the standard window well dimension; trimming the second flange to fit the area window well cover adjacent building surface to thereby fully enclose the area window well; attaching a retaining clip to the area window well cover; coupling the retaining clip with area window well cover; and engaging the trimmed second flange with the building surface. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention solve the inadequacies of prior area window well covers by providing a transparent, shaped cover that is sufficiently strong to support a person and which is readily installed and adaptable to diverse building surfaces and area wells. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     A first object of the invention is the provision of a cover which improves safety of an area well and egress window. Animals, persons, snow and debris will most preferably be prevented from unintentionally entering the area well, while the area well cover will most desirably be removable from the inside of the area well or from the outside of the well. Furthermore, the cover will most preferably protect the window glass from unintentional impacts. A further object of the invention is to improve performance, by providing better techniques to secure the cover to both well and building, and also providing a more durable and environmentally resistant cover. Yet another objective is to improve the aesthetic appearance of the area well. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention can be understood and appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a typical preferred embodiment cover and installation. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the inner locking lower flange of the preferred cover of FIG. 1 including the outward drip rail. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates the rear flange which is trimmed to accommodate irregularities in adjacent structures. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The preferred embodiment area well cover  100  is designed for application over standard sized wells, which presently come in sizes such as 42″,50″, 67″, and the like. Cover  100  is most preferably slightly resilient, to accommodate dimensions that deviate slightly from the standard dimensions as will be further understood herein below. Domed or elevated body member  110  comprises the majority of surface area, and is designed to allow standard casement window  220  to operate freely when cover  100  is in operative position as shown in FIG.  1 . Consequently, in the event of an emergency, an occupant may fully open casement window  220  and then enter into the well area defined by well wall  240 , cover  100  and building foundation  200 . Furthermore, using the preferred embodiment cover  100 , the orientation of hinges on casement window  220  such as whether the hinges are left or right handed is irrelevant. 
     Body member  110  includes top body member  120 , which is generally trapezoidal in shape. While generally planar in preferred embodiment cover  100 , top body member  120  will most preferably be slightly domed from the edges to the center. This slight dome shape ensures drainage of moisture rather than pooling or puddling, and also adds to the total load bearing capability of top body member  120 . In addition to being slightly domed, top body member  120  will most preferably exhibit a slight or gentle slope away from foundation  200 , to help direct moisture away from siding  210  and foundation  200 . 
     Supporting top body member  120  are sides  130 ,  132 ,  134 , each which extend in a generally vertical direction. Sides  130  and  134  have a trapezium geometry, while side  134  has the shape of a trapezoid. The exact slope of each side is not critical to the invention, though a steep slope is preferred to reduce the total amount of material required in the fabrication of cover  100 , while still accommodating a casement window  220  which extends higher than the top of area well wall  240 . Nevertheless, some amount of angle from vertical is most preferred, since, in practice, area well wall  240  will not always be the same shape from one installation to the next. This is due to the fact that most standard well wall material is somewhat flexible, and is frequently bent differently from one installation to the next. Consequently, it is very desirable for cover  100  to follow the variations in different wells, to simplify installation thereto. The slight angle from vertical in sides  130 ,  132 ,  134  allows cover  100  to be flexed to align directly above area well wall  240 . In addition to the adaptability to different well wall  240  geometries, the slight angle from vertical also helps to place body member  110  in compression when a load is placed on top member  120 . Once again, this tends to increase the load bearing capacity of cover  100 . 
     At the periphery of body member  110  and adjacent foundation  200  and siding  210  there is a building attachment structure  150  including a flat-mount flange  152  and modifiable wall accommodating flange  154 . Most preferably, flat-mount flange  152  runs in a plane approximately parallel to the surface of foundation  200  and siding  210 . In the most preferred embodiment, modifiable wall accommodating flange  154  is perpendicular or normal thereto, thought the exact angle is not critical. Rather the substantial change in direction between the two flanges offers several distinct benefits. In an application where the egress features of window  220  are not desired, flange  154  may be completely removed and flange  152  may be directly fastened to foundation  200 . While this is not the preferred method of installation, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention offers the flexibility of installation similar to that found in the prior art, where covers are fastened directly to building surfaces through flanges that are parallel to the building surface. Nevertheless, this type of prior art installation does not allow window  220  to serve as an egress or escape window, and so in the present invention this method of attachment is not most preferred. Instead, in most instances and as shown in the figures, modifiable wall accommodating flange  154  will extend against foundation  200  and siding  210 . The benefit of using a flange angled or specifically not coplanar with foundation  200  is the ability to trim flange  154  to follow the contours of the building surface. This will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 3 herein below. The combination of flanges  152  and  154  serve to broaden the installation options available. Another less apparent benefit is also obtained. The significant angular deviation between top  120  and sides  130 ,  134  with respect to flange  152 , and the similarly significant angular deviation between flange  152  and flange  154  forms a structural reinforcement as well. Consequently, and without additional support or anchoring to foundation  200  or siding  210 , top body member  120  will support a tremendous amount of weight. Without the dual flange arrangement of building attachment structure  150 , top body member  120  would not be able to support nearly as much weight. 
     At the periphery of body member  110  and adjacent area well wall  240 , there is also a dual flange arrangement that forms well attachment structure  140 . This combination of dual flanges, similar to building attachment structure  150 , provides substantial reinforcement to cover  100 . In addition, base flange  142  is wide enough to accommodate small variations in different area well walls  240 . Where the variations are too great, and as noted herein above, it is also possible for an installer to flex cover  100  to either increase or decrease the distance between sides  130  and  134  adjacent area well wall  240  to fit. A second drip flange  144  is provided which ensures moisture coming from body member  110  is directed to the ground  230  outside of area well wall  240 , and is not able to wrap at the edge through surface tension phenomenon and drip into the area window well. 
     The preferred area well cover  100 , in addition to well attachment structure  140  which rests on the top of the area well wall  240 , is also positively retained to wall  240  with one or more adjustable spring clips, such as clips  160 ,  161 . Clip  160  along with well attachment structure  140  is shown in greater detail in FIG.  2 . Most preferably, clips  160 ,  161  are located on opposing sides of well attachment structure  140 , as visible in FIG. 1, where the clips are mounted adjacent the corners of base flange  142  away from the building structure. Clips  160 ,  161  most preferably have a means of detaching from the area well or structure, to allow cover  100  to be removed and re-installed readily. The exact number of clips and placement is not critical to the invention, and it will be apparent that none, one or a plurality may be employed. Most preferably, clips  160 ,  161  are placed in the corner regions as illustrated in FIG. 1, between adjacent sides. This particular location provides significant benefit in anchoring the cover and reducing movement when external forces are applied to cover  100 . The area well cover is removed for fire escape by applying a force that pushes cover  100  vertically, to thereby lift cover  100  off of window well wall  240 . Where desired, cover  100  may be locked, for added security benefit. In such instance, clips  160 ,  161  may be locking clips. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates in much greater detail the possible intricate accommodation which is available between cover  100  and a building wall structure such as siding  210 . As can be seen therein, siding  210  includes laps  212 ,  213 , but also includes vertical boards  214 ,  215  which protrude a great distance from laps  212 ,  213 . In the prior art designs, there was no way to accommodate for the diversity of such a surface. In the present invention, wall accommodating flange  154  may have several cuts  155 - 158  therein which allow cover  100  to tightly conform to building siding  210 . This ensures that cover  100  encloses the area window well completely regardless of the nature of siding  210  or foundation  200 . 
     The method for enclosing an area window well adjacent a building surface includes the steps of determining standard window well dimensions that are most closely associated with the area window well. This may be done during design or layout of blueprints for new construction, or may be taken from measurements of the area window well in the case of a retrofit cover. Once the area well size is known, the size of cover may be determined as well. Either prior to the fabrication or design of the well, in the case of mass production, or subsequent thereto, an area window well cover is formed having a dome  110 , a first flange  152  and a second flange  154  to fit the standard window well dimension. Next, second flange  154  is trimmed to fit area window well cover  100  to the adjacent building surfaces  200 ,  210 , such that area window well cover  100  will operatively fully enclose the area window well. At some point during the installation, but typically after the trimming step, a retaining clip  160  will be attached to area window well cover  100 . This will typically be done by drilling one or more holes through well attachment structure  140 , followed by inserting one or more clips  160  through the one or more holes. If the clips are attached through threaded nut, these nuts will need to be placed and tightened. Once the one or more clips  160  are in place, they are coupled with area window well wall  240 . Whether before or after the placing of clips, the trimmed second flange  154  will need engaged with the building surfaces  200 ,  210 . Once cover  100  is in place, an installer will most preferably open and close the casement window  220  within the area window well subsequent to the coupling and engaging steps, to ensure clearance between casement window  220  and area window well cover  100 . 
     Most preferably, the step of forming comprises vacuum thermoforming, though as aforementioned, other techniques may be used for forming. The step of trimming may also include entirely removing the second flange  154 , and in that case the step of engaging will comprise affixing the first flange  152  to the building surfaces  200 ,  210 . 
     In addition to being slightly resilient, the material used to fabricate area well cover  100  will most preferably be crystal clear and exhibit a high surface gloss. Cover  100  can also be colored, translucent or opaque, and may have a matted or other finish. A most preferred material for manufacture is ultraviolet (UV) resistant polycarbonate plastic, which provides high impact strength, good tolerance of hot or cold temperatures, electrical insulation which is not impaired by moisture, and resistance to high energy radiation. This plastic is also self-extinguishing after being removed from an ignition source. Other equivalent materials with similar characteristics and physical properties would be acceptable as well, and some materials which only exhibit some of the characteristics may be acceptable for specific applications, though these materials will be somewhat less preferred due to their more limited application. The manner or process in which the cover is manufactured is not critical to the invention, and may include injection molding, vacuum thermoforming, rotation or rotomolding, blow molding, or other molding or shaping processes. Vacuum thermoforming is most preferred however, owing to the lower cost of fabrication and relatively high throughput which may be obtained. The present preferred embodiment cover  100  is designed in consideration of thermoforming, and as will be apparent from a review of the present drawing figures, there are no curves or geometries that would interfere with removal from a vacuum mold. Consequently, the preferred construction is not only beneficial in performance, but may also be manufactured in volume easily. 
     The preferred embodiment area well cover designed in accord with the invention enhances safety while maintaining complementary shape with the absence of structural ribbing. The convex reinforced dome is achieved by forming round inverted and protruding corners, as can be seen in the figures. A variety of different shapes and sizes of this invention are conceived. The most preferred application is an area well cover, stationary or removable. The preferred embodiment provides an escape route, while also preventing people, animals, debris, snow, rain, toys etc. from falling into the area well. Nevertheless, and as aforementioned, the present invention also accommodates fixed or more permanent mounting to buildings where this is preferred, only necessitating the removal of flange  154  in such an instance. The preferred embodiment also complies with State Building Corporation uniform building code, to meet legal requirements. 
     While the foregoing details what is felt to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, no material limitations to the scope of the claimed invention are intended. Further, features and design alternatives that would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be incorporated herein. Consequently, the scope of the invention is set forth and particularly described in the claims hereinbelow.