Patent Publication Number: US-2022228435-A1

Title: Bug screen

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/138,957, filed Jan. 19, 2021, the entire content of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     (NOT APPLICABLE) 
     BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates to a bug screen frame assembly and, more particularly, to a bug screen frame assembly with mesh that is captured and self-tensioned without any clamps or screws. 
     In typical bug screens, the frame may be made of aluminum, plastic, or a combination of both materials. A mesh screen portion is usually installed by one of a few common installation methods. The screen may be retained in a hollow portion or channel of the frame by the insertion of cord or spline into the hollow portion of the frame. A mesh screen may also be integrated into a frame by process of overmolding, or making an injection molded frame that integrates the screen before hardening. These methods are used to help ensure that the mesh is installed around the periphery of the frame, but they can cause imperfect alignment of the screen that creates gaps, holes, or slack between the mesh and frame. 
     SUMMARY 
     The bug screen frame assembly of the described embodiments includes a mesh screen that is received between male and female frame pieces designed to fit together with spikes protruding inwardly from a rear male frame portion to self-tension a mesh screen. The spikes assist in positioning and retaining the mesh screen in a non- straining way and the rear male frame portion is received within and secured to the front female frame portion so that the mesh screen is tensioned and captured by the plastic frame pieces. The assembly may be suitable for integration with a side cab window for a semi-truck. 
     The rear male frame portion may include a ring of spikes positioned to fit within a recessed groove in the front female frame portion. For installation, a loose mesh sheet is placed over the interior face of the front female frame portion with the groove, and the spikes of the rear male frame portion are pierced through the mesh. As the spikes pierce the mesh sheet, the mesh sheet naturally shifts and aligns with the spikes to avoid folds or gaps as it is retained. Finally, the rear male frame portion fits into the front female frame portion and is secured therein to self-tension and capture the mesh screen without additional modification. The rear male frame portion may snap into the front female frame portion to engage the exterior face of the rear frame portion in a snap-fit relationship to self-tension and capture the mesh screen without additional components or modification. The final product is a lightweight and thin product with a seamless bug screen. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, a bug screen frame assembly includes a front frame portion defining an exterior of the frame assembly, a rear frame portion connected to the front frame portion, and a mesh screen captured between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion. One of the front frame portion and the rear frame portion includes a plurality of spikes extending toward the other of the front frame portion and the rear frame portion, and the other of the front frame portion and the rear frame portion includes a groove that receives the spikes. The spikes extend through the mesh screen. 
     The front frame portion and the rear frame portion may be connected in a snap fit that tensions the mesh screen. 
     The front frame portion and the rear frame portion may be connected and secured in a fitting relationship that tensions the mesh screen. The front frame portion may be a female piece, and the rear frame portion may be a male piece in relation to the fitting relationship. 
     The spikes may be conical with pointed ends facing the other of the front frame portion and the rear frame portion. The front frame portion and the rear frame portion may be plastic. In some embodiments, the front frame portion and the rear frame portion may be single-piece molded components. In other embodiments, the front frame portion and rear frame portion may be a composite material, formable metal such as aluminum, or any combination thereof. 
     The other of the front frame portion and the rear frame portion may include three grooves, where the groove that receives the spikes may be a middle groove. 
     The one of the front frame portion and the rear frame portion may include a bump-out section, where the spikes extend from the bump-out section. In this context, the bump-out section may include inside and outside riser surfaces on respective opposite sides thereof, where the inside riser surface defines a first pinch surface, the other of the front frame portion and the rear frame portion includes a second pinch surface, and the mesh screen may be captured between the first and second pinch surfaces. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, a bug screen frame assembly includes a front frame portion defining an exterior of the bug screen frame assembly, and a rear frame portion connected to the front frame portion. One of the front frame portion and the rear frame portion is a female frame portion with a circumferential channel, and the other of the front frame portion and the rear frame portion is a male frame portion that engages and is securable to the circumferential channel. A mesh screen is captured within the circumferential channel between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion such that the mesh screen is tensioned. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment, a method of assembling a bug screen frame includes the steps of (a) placing the mesh screen over a side of the front frame portion with the groove; (b) positioning the rear frame portion over the mesh screen and the front frame portion and piercing the mesh screen with the spikes such that the spikes extend into the groove; and (c) inserting the rear frame portion to fit within and secure to the front frame portion. The front frame portion may include a circumferential channel, and the method may include a step of fitting and securing the rear frame portion to the circumferential channel. Steps (b) and (c) may be practiced to capture and tension the mesh screen between the front portion and the rear portion 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other aspects and advantages will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the bug screen frame assembly; 
         FIG. 2  shows the bug screen frame assembly in an assembled state; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view along line 3-3 in  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIGS. 4-6  are cross-sectional views through the frame assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to the drawings, a bug screen frame assembly  10  includes a front frame portion  12  defining an exterior of the bug screen frame assembly  10 . A rear frame portion  14  is received within the outer periphery of the front frame portion  12 , and a mesh screen  16  is tensioned and captured between the front frame portion  12  and the rear frame portion  14  when the frame portions are secured into engagement. 
     In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the rear frame portion  14  includes a plurality of spikes  18 , and the front frame portion  12  includes at least one groove  20  that receives the spikes  18 . The spikes  18  may be spaced from one another around the entire perimeter of the rear frame portion  14 . The front frame portion  12  may be provided with multiple grooves  20 . In some embodiments, the front frame portion  12  includes three grooves  20 , and the middle one of the grooves  20  may receive the spikes  18 . The variation shown in the drawings is exemplary, and the bug screen frame assembly  10  could be constructed oppositely with the spikes  18  in the front frame portion  12  and the at least one groove  20  in the rear frame portion  14 . 
     As shown, the spikes  18  may be conical with pointed ends facing the front female portion  12 . The spikes  18  are extended to pierce through the mesh screen  16  to position and retain the screen. In some embodiments, the spikes  18  extend from a bump-out section  26  of the rear frame portion  14 . The bump-out section  26  includes inside  28  and outside  30  riser surfaces on respective opposite sides thereof. The inside riser surface  28  defines a first pinch surface. The front frame portion  12  includes a corresponding second pinch surface  32  that is shaped in complement with the inside riser surface  28 . When the rear frame portion  14  fits into engagement and is secured within the front frame portion  12 , the mesh screen  16  is tensioned between the frame pieces and is pulled taut between the first and second pinch surfaces. 
     In some embodiments, the front frame portion  12  and the rear frame portion  14  are single-piece plastic molded components. In other embodiments, the front frame portion and rear frame portion may be a composite material, formable metal such as aluminum, or any combination thereof. 
     One of the front frame portion  12  and the rear frame portion  14  may be a female frame portion having a circumferential channel  34 . The other of the front frame portion  12  and the rear frame portion  14  may be a male frame portion that fits into and may be secured with the circumferential channel  34  of the female frame portion. In some embodiments, the circumferential channel  34  comprises at least one interior groove  20 , and the male frame portion comprises a plurality of spikes  18  extending through the mesh screen and toward the circumferential channel  34 , such that distal ends of the spikes  18  are disposed in the interior groove  20 . In some embodiments, the rear frame portion  14  may fit into the front frame portion  12  in a snap-fit relationship. In other embodiments, the fitting relationship and securement of the front and rear frame portions may be accomplished by other methods including but not limited to mechanical fasteners, adhesives, riveting, press fitting, or friction welding. 
     The front frame portion  12  and the rear frame portion  14  may be connected in a snap fit with an outer edge of the outer periphery of the rear frame portion  14  engaging an inner edge of the outer periphery of the front frame portion  12 . As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the front frame portion  12  may be provided with a plurality of snap ledges  22 , and the rear frame portion  14  may be provided with corresponding snap recesses  24 . The snap ledges  22  may engage the snap recess  24  to connect the rear frame portion  14  and the front frame portion  12 . The rear frame portion  14  may engage the snap ledges  22  to deflect the snap ledges  22  from a rest position outward as the rear frame portion  14  is displaced toward the front frame portion  12  until the snap ledge  22  clears the snap recess  24 . Subsequently, the snap ledge  22  returns to its rest position engaging the snap recess  24 . 
     In assembling the bug screen frame, a loose mesh sheet/screen  16  is placed over the inner face of the front female frame portion  12 . That is, the mesh sheet  16  is placed over the side of the front female frame portion  12  with the grooves  20 . The rear male frame portion  14  is positioned over the mesh screen  16  and the front female frame portion  12  and is advanced into engagement within the front female frame portion  12 , thereby piercing the mesh screen  16  with the spikes  18  such that the spikes  18  extend into the groove  20 . The rear male frame portion  14  fits within the circumferential channel  34  of the front female frame portion  12  and are secured together. 
     As the spikes  18  pierce the mesh screen  16 , the mesh screen  16  naturally shifts and aligns with the spikes  18  to avoid folds or gaps in the mesh screen  16  as it is retained by the spikes. The fitting relationship between the front female frame portion  12  and the rear male frame portion  14  results in a taut and self-tensioned mesh screen that is captured within the assembly without the need for additional components or modifications. The final product is extremely lightweight and thin defining a seamless bug screen. The overall bug screen frame has a clean appearance with a self-tensioned screen without visible clamps or screws. The bug screen frame assembly may be made as a stand-alone replaceable bug screen frame or it may be integrated with a window frame. 
     While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.