Abstract:
An application for a multi-section screen system includes a first of the flexible sheets of screen material that has zipper teeth along at least one side edge and a neighboring second flexible sheet of screen material that has mating zipper teeth along an abutting side edge. Mechanisms retract and deploy each of the flexible sheets in unison. A fastener is fixedly disposed between each two of the mechanisms and the fastener automatically joins the zipper teeth with the mating zipper teeth as the mechanisms deploy the flexible sheets and the fastener automatically separates the zipper teeth from the mating zipper teeth as the mechanisms retract the flexible sheets.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. No. 12/558,875, titled “SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AREA SCREEN COVERAGE,” attorney docket number 843.4, filed Sep. 14, 2009, the disclosure of which is hereby included by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to the field of screens and more particularly to a system for deploying screens. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Deployable screen systems are well known in the industry. There are many reasons for using a deployable screen as opposed to fixed screens. For example, in areas where insects or other pests are present for only part of the day or for a season, screens are only needed during such time when the pest is present. Another example is in areas which are not used during certain periods. For example, a porch need not be screened during the winter months in Duluth, Minn., because it is too cold to use the porch during winter and, even if used, there would be no pests that need to be kept out. 
         [0004]    Often, deployable screens include a flexible screen fabric that is stored on a roller (when not in use) and weighted along a bottom edge to allow deployment as the screen fabric is unrolled. In some cases, the left and right edges of the screen fabric are in a track to seal the screen over a certain area. Such systems function well for an area that is bounded by walls and of limited size, but for larger areas or areas not bounded by walls, such systems have performance problems. 
         [0005]    For large areas such as wide garage doors, hanger doors and the like, the roller for storing such deployable screens of the prior art must be long enough as to contain the width of the screens. This results in very long rollers that need to be very rigid since a center support is not feasible due to the continuous width of the screen fabric. If the long rollers are not stiff enough, bowing results and the screen does not deploy evenly and bends and/or creases as it is retracted. 
         [0006]    For areas that are not bounded by walls, it is very difficult to provide deployable screen solutions. For example, if there is a roof providing a top cover and three open sides areas, as often found in porch areas, but no corner structures, three separate deployable screens are required, one for each of the open sides. Because this porch area has no corner structures, there is no way to provide a side track for each of the screen fabrics when they are deployed. This leaves each of the two corners open after deployment, requiring some method of fastening to prevent unwanted pests/insects from entering at the corners. Before retraction, the fasteners require disengagement or the screen fabric will be damaged. 
         [0007]    What is needed is a system for automatically deploying screens over a large area. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In one embodiment, a multi-section screen system is disclosed including a first flexible sheet of fabric with a first set of zipper teeth disposed along a first side edge and a second flexible sheet of fabric with a mating set of zipper teeth disposed along a second side edge. The first side edge of the first flexible sheet of fabric is in proximity to the second side edge of second flexible sheet of fabric. A first mechanism is included for retracting and deploying the first flexible sheet of fabric and a second mechanism is included for retracting and deploying the second flexible sheet of fabric. A fastener is interfaced to the first set of zipper teeth and interfaced to the mating set of zipper teeth. The fastener joins the zipper teeth with the mating zipper teeth as the first mechanism deploys the first flexible sheet of fabric and the second mechanism deploys the second flexible sheet of fabric. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment, a method of enclosing an area with multiple flexible sheets of material is disclosed using the multi-section screen system described above. The method includes operating the first mechanism for retracting and deploying in unison with the second mechanism for retracting and deploying to deploy the first flexible sheet of fabric and the second flexible sheet of fabric. As the first flexible sheet of fabric and the second flexible sheet of fabric deploy, the zipper teeth are automatically engaged with the mating zipper teeth by the fastener. 
         [0010]    In another embodiment, a multi-section screen system is disclosed including a first flexible sheet that has zipper teeth disposed along a side edge, and a second flexible sheet that has mating zipper teeth disposed along a side edge. A first roller mechanism is interfaced to a first surface and a top edge of the first flexible sheet is interfaced to the first roller mechanism such that turning of the first roller mechanism in a first direction results in winding of the first flexible sheet around the first roller mechanism and turning of the first roller mechanism in an opposing second direction results in unwinding of the first flexible sheet from around the first roller mechanism. A second roller mechanism is interfaced to a second surface and a top edge of the second flexible sheet is interfaced to the second roller mechanism such that turning of the second roller mechanism in the first direction results in winding of the second flexible sheet around the second roller mechanism and turning of the second roller mechanism in the opposing second direction results in unwinding of the second flexible sheet from around the second roller mechanism. A fastener is slideably interfaced on one side to the zipper teeth and on a second side to mating zipper teeth so that the fastener automatically joins the zipper teeth with the mating zipper teeth as the first roller mechanism and the second roller mechanism turns in the first direction thereby deploying and joining the flexible sheets, and the fastener automatically disengages the zipper teeth from the mating zipper teeth as the first roller mechanism and the second roller mechanism turns in the second opposing direction, retracting and separating the flexible sheets. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a system of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates a second perspective view of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates a third perspective view of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates a fourth perspective view of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  illustrates a plan view of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of a system of the present invention  10  is shown looking from the top. In this example, two screen fabrics  14 / 16  are deployable at an angle to each other, for example a 90 degree angle as shown. Although a 90 degree angle is shown, any desired angle between the screen fabrics  14 / 16  is anticipated. This example is similar to that encountered in a porch that is covered but lacks corner supports. 
         [0019]    Although screen fabric  14 / 16  is shown in all examples, any flexible sheet of material is anticipated such as cloth, canvas, etc. It is also anticipated that in some embodiments, one or more of the flexible sheets of material has integrated features such as closable opening, windows (e.g. when the material is opaque), etc. 
         [0020]    It is known to use a zipper mechanism to attach flexible sheets to each other. One example of such is canvas boat covers, in which multiple canvas, screen or clear plastic sheets are attached to each other using zippers and/or hook and loop material. In such, a person must position each pair of sheets, and then engage the zipper mechanism to connect one flexible sheet to the next. 
         [0021]    In the present invention, a first flexible sheet  14  is automatically engaged with a second flexible sheet  16  as the sheets  14 / 16  are deployed and the a first flexible sheet  14  is disengaged from the second flexible sheet  16  as the flexible sheets  14 / 16  are retracted. 
         [0022]    The exemplary system of  FIG. 1  shows two flexible sheets of screen material  14 / 16 . The first flexible sheet of screen material  14  has a first set of teeth  21  along a right edge and the second flexible sheet of screen material  16  has a mating set of teeth  23  along a left edge, such that, when deployed, the teeth  21 / 23  are in proximity of each other. As the flexible sheets of screen material  14 / 16  are deployed from the roller arrangements  42 / 43 / 44 / 45 , the teeth  21 / 23  pass through a fastener  22  that locks the first set of teeth  21  into the mating set of teeth  23 , thereby automatically affixing the first flexible sheet of screen material  14  to the second flexible sheet of screen material  16 . The fastener  22  is fixed in a location between the first roller arrangement  42 / 44  and the second roller arrangement  43 / 45 . Likewise, as the flexible sheets of screen material  14 / 16  are retracted, the teeth  21 / 23  pass through the fastener  22  in the opposite direction in which the first set of teeth  21  are automatically disengaged from the mating set of teeth  23 , thereby allowing the first flexible sheet of screen material  14  to roll up on a first roller arrangement  42 / 44  and the second flexible sheet of screen material  16  to roll up on a second roller arrangement  43 / 45 . Any form of roller arrangement  42 / 43 / 44 / 45  is anticipated. The example shown has a roller body  42 / 43  and fins  44 / 45 . The fins  44 / 45  of such a roller arrangement  42 / 43 / 44 / 45 , for example, strengthens the roller arrangement  42 / 43 / 44 / 45  to reduce bending, provides for cooling of the motor (not visible) by convection cooling and enables a flow of air beneath the flexible sheets of material  14 / 16  when the flexible sheets of material  14 / 15  are on the roller arrangement  42 / 43 / 44 / 45  to improve drying. 
         [0023]    It is anticipated that the roller mechanism  42 / 43 / 44 / 45  is rotated to deploy and retract the flexible material  14 / 16  by any mechanism as known in the industry including, but not limited to, motors, hand cranks, etc. Such rotation mechanism is required to deploy and retract both flexible sheets of material  14 / 15  at the same rate (in unison) to prevent skewing. In the example of  FIG. 1 , the deploying/retracting mechanism is interfaced to the rollers  42 / 43  at the end that is not shown. In some embodiments, the motors are housed within the support bracket assembly  52 / 54 . Although a single motor with a universal joint coupler adapted to drive two deploying/retracting mechanisms is preferred, separate motors, one for each deploying/retracting mechanism is anticipated as well. 
         [0024]    To help pull the flexible sheets of material  14 / 16  downward and keep each flexible sheet of material  14 / 16  taught, the bottom edge of the first flexible sheet of material  14  is connected to a bottom weight  26  and the bottom edge of the second flexible sheet of material  16  is connected to a bottom weight  25 . In this example, the bottom weights  25 / 26  are linear metal frame members and are connected to each other with an  1 -bracket  28 / 29  with screws  27 . This is an example of bottom weights  25 / 26  and any known bottom weight arrangement is anticipated by the present invention. In some embodiments, multiple bottom weights  25 / 26  (one for each flexible sheet  14 / 16 ) are used (as shown in  FIG. 4 ). In other embodiments, a continuous bottom weight  25 / 26  spans two or more flexible sheets  14 / 16  (as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 ). 
         [0025]    For completeness, brackets  52  of the support bracket assembly  52 / 54  are shown attached to a header  50  or other structural member of a building. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a second perspective view of the present invention  10  is shown looking from the front of the first flexible sheet of screen material  14 . In this view, the second flexible sheet of screen material  16  is not visible, but the mating set of teeth  23  along the left edge the second flexible sheet of screen material  16  is visible. In this view, the fastener  22  is grounded to the support bracket assembly  54  so that, as the roller mechanisms  42 / 43 / 44 / 45  deploy the flexible sheets of screen material  14 / 16 , the teeth  21  along the right edge of the first flexible sheet of screen material  14  engage with the mating set of teeth  23  along the left edge the second flexible sheet of screen material  16 . Likewise, as the roller mechanisms  42 / 43 / 44 / 45  retract the flexible sheets of screen material  14 / 16 , the teeth  21  along the right edge of the first flexible sheet of screen material  14  disengage with the mating set of teeth  23  along the left edge the second flexible sheet of screen material  16 . 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a third perspective view of the present invention  10  is shown. In this example, the flexible sheets of screen material  14 / 16  are shown at an angle to each other, such as a 90 degree angle as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a fourth perspective view of the present invention  10  is shown. As in  FIG. 3 , in this example, the flexible sheets of screen material  14 / 16  are shown in a linear arrangement in which an axis passes through the first roller mechanism  42 / 44  and the second roller mechanism  43 / 45 . In this, the flexible sheets of screen material  14 / 16  are shown fully deployed and the teeth  21  are locked with the mating teeth  23 . The bottom weight sections  25 / 26  hold the flexible sheets of screen material  14 / 16  taught and enable deployment by pulling the flexible sheets of screen material  14 / 16  from the roller mechanism  42 / 43 / 44 / 45  as the roller mechanisms  42 / 43 / 44 / 45  turn in a direction of deployment. In some embodiments, a floor interface  30  is provided to improve sealing against uneven floors  60 . In such, the floor interface  30  is made of a material that will conform to irregularities of the mating surface (floor)  60 . As an example, the floor interface  30  is made of a flexible rubber. Other examples include, but are not limited to, bendable plastic, foam material, bristles, etc. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a plan view of the present invention  10  is shown from the side. In this view, the flexible sheets of screen material  14 / 16  (not visible) are shown fully deployed and the teeth  21  are locked with the mating teeth  23  (not visible). The bottom weight sections  25 / 26  (only  25  is visible) are joined together by plates  31  held by screws  27  hold the flexible sheets of screen material  14 / 16  taught and enable deployment by pulling the flexible sheets of screen material  14 / 16  from the roller mechanism  42 / 43 / 44 / 45  as the roller mechanisms  42 / 43 / 44 / 45  turn in a direction of deployment. In some embodiments, a floor interface  30  is provided to improve sealing against uneven floors  60 . In such, the floor interface  30  is made of a material that will conform to irregularities of the mating surface (floor)  60 . As an example, the floor interface  30  is made of a flexible rubber. Other examples include, but are not limited to, bendable plastic, foam material, bristles, etc. In this example, the floor interface  30  is an inverted-V shape. As the flexible sheets of screen material  14 / 16  deploy completely, the inverted-V of the floor interface  30  is pushed against the floor  60  by the weight of the bottom weight sections  25 / 26 , slightly deforming the inverted-V of the floor interface  30 , providing an improved seal between the floor interface  30  and the floor  60 . 
         [0030]    Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result. 
         [0031]    It is believed that the system and method of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.