Patent Publication Number: US-6711853-B1

Title: Summer window safety guard and method therefor

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to home safety, and more specifically, to a device for allowing an individual to sleep at night with the window open and without fear of intrusive people and objects entering through it. This same device further allows the individuals to quickly and easily remove it in the case of an emergency. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     Many individuals desire to leave their windows open throughout the night to receive fresh air. Most windows are equipped with a screen that is a soft porous mesh. The screen allows fresh air to pass into the home and it generally keeps out unwanted objects. The problem with this simple screen, however, is that it is easily penetrable. An intruder may use a knife or other such sharp object to cut a hole through the mesh and thus gain access to the home. The screen is also not very sturdy. Even just a moderate amount of force could cause the mesh to be loosened from its frame and the screen would collapse. 
     Other windows, as another form of protection, are equipped with bars. These bars are often welded on the outside of the windows. While these bars may serve the purpose of keeping out intruders, they pose a safety hazard to the inhabitant. Should an emergency occur, such as a fire, the inhabitant would not be able to escape through the barred window. The apparatus that was intended for the inhabitant&#39;s safety, would then become the cause of his injury. 
     Yet another form of protective grill for windows consists of bars that collapse or disassemble for removal once they are unlocked. U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,134 illustrates collapsible grills consisting of a configuration of thin rods and pivotal connectors allowing for slide movement. The difficulty with the collapsible grills is that it is possible for it&#39;s numerous parts to malfunction. The rods may have been bent, thereby preventing them from being moved. It is also possible that their pivotal connectors may become worn with age or use. The grills that disassemble may consist of many parts that are to be removed separately once it is unlocked. U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,570 discloses a grill that consists of a plurality of security bars that must be removed individually. This process of unlocking and removing the grill becomes a hazard in the case of an emergency because it is too time consuming to have to unlock the apparatus and disassemble it piece by piece. 
     Therefore, a need existed to provide a system that would allow people to sleep at night safely with their window open. The system must protect an individual from intrusive people and objects, yet must be easily removable in the case of an emergency. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system that would allow people to sleep at night safely with their window open. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a system that would protect an individual from burglars or other such intrusive people and objects and that would be easily removable in the case of an emergency. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a window safety guard assembly is disclosed. The safety guard assembly has a plurality of vertical bars traversing a space between a windowsill and a bottom frame edge of a raised lower window. It also has at least one support bar coupled to the vertical bars and a locking mechanism coupled to an upper window frame. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of securing an open window is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: providing a window safety guard assembly, positioning the window safety guard assembly to fit within a window opening; and locking the window safety guard assembly. 
    
    
     The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrated embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals and symbols represent like elements. 
     FIG. 1 is an elevated perspective view of the window safety guard assembly of the present invention in use and installed in an open window. 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of another embodiment of the window safety guard assembly of the present invention in use and installed in an open window. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken along lines  3 — 3 , of the window safety guard assembly of the present invention in use and installed in an open window. 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the hinges used in the embodiment depicted in FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-3 wherein like numerals and symbols represent like elements, a window safety guard assembly  1  is shown. The window safety guard assembly  1  is positioned to block the window opening  18 . By blocking the window opening  18 , an individual may sleep at night with their window open and without worrying about burglars or other intrusive people and objects from entering the home. It is also easily removable during emergency situations as it has a simple locking mechanism  30  and may be removed as a single unit. 
     For blocking the window opening  18 , the window safety guard assembly  1  has vertical bars  10  that extend from the windowsill  16  of a window frame up to the bottom frame edge of the raised lower window  14 . There is a plurality of holes on the windowsill  17  and on the bottom frame edge of the lower window  15 . The vertical bars  10  have tapered ends  11  that are inserted into the holes on the bottom frame edge of the lower window  15  and into the holes on the windowsill  17 . By inserting the tapered ends  11 , the vertical bars  10  will be held firmly within the window opening  18 . 
     Support bars  20  are coupled to the vertical bars  10 . This reinforces the vertical bars  10  by preventing any possible bending or spreading of the vertical bars  10 . The support bars  20  also serve to help block the window opening  18 . 
     The window safety guard  1  has a locking mechanism  40  to hold the window safety guard  1  in place and to prevent its removal. The locking mechanism  40  comprises a small rod  30  and plurality of holes  23  along the side edge of the upper window  22 . The safety guard assembly  1  is locked into place by inserting the small rod  30  into a corresponding hole in the side edge of the upper window frame  23 . This small rod  30 , while inserted into a corresponding hole in the side edge of the upper window frame  23 , will also be abutting the top edge of the lower window frame  13 . While the small rod  30  is in its position, it will prevent the lower window  12  from being raised to remove the window safety guard  1 . 
     For removal of the window safety guard  1 , the individual will remove the small rod  30  from its hole in the side edge of the upper window frame  23 . The lower window  12  will be slightly raised to disengage the tapered ends  11  of the vertical bars  10  from the holes in the windowsill  17  and the holes in the bottom frame edge of the lower window  14 . Once the window safety guard  1  is removed, the inhabitant may exit through the window. 
     As may be seen in FIG. 2, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the window safety guard  1  is movably coupled to the window frame  13  by a pair of hinges  24 . The hinges  24  will allow one to easily move the window safety guard  1  to the side, in order to close the opening  18  in the window. In order to move the window safety guard  1 , one has to lift the window safety guard  1  out of the holes  17  in the window sill and rotate the window safety guard  1  to the side. 
     For added security, a metal mesh may be used to cover the openings between the vertical bars  10  and the support bars  20 . The metal mesh would be fairly thick so that one would not be able to cut the metal mesh with a knife or the like. The metal mesh would be used so that small hands would not be able to reach inside the home through the openings in the safety guard  1 . The metal mesh would also prevent small insects and animals from entering the home through the openings. 
     Although the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.