Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The invention relates to a gate for a sliding window or
door.
BACKGROL~ OF THE INVENTION
Sliding windows are common in typical residential and
commercial buildings. Generally, the windows comprise a window
frame and a plurality of sliding windows situated therein.
Typically the sliding windows are fractionally held within the
frame in tracks. Each window can be slid along the track to
various positions relative to the frame. As such, the window
elements-collectively can be arranged to fully close an area of
the window frame or to open an area within the frame, thereby
allowing air to move between the outside and inside of the
building.
When the window is open, many things can pass through the
open area, including burglars, children, adults, pets and other
objects. In high-rise apartment buildings there is always the
potential danger of a child (or adult) falling through an open
window.
Previously, barriers have been installed around window
frames to inhibit things passing through window openings. Gates
can be installed around the window frame; however such frames
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span the entire window frame and thus block the view outside
through closed parts of the window. Examples of such gates~are
described in Canadian Patents 2,003,533 and 1,144,428.
There remains a need for a window gate which addresses the
shortcomings of the prior art.
S~~_M_ARV OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a gate for a window frame
having windows. The invention comprises first and second gate
elements. The first gate element is attachable at its far end
to the frame and the second gate element is attachable at its
far end to one of the windows. The gate elements are coupled
together to allow the gate elements to slide along each other
and to provide a barrier in a space created between the window
and the window frame when the sliding window is in an open
position.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a gate
comprising first and second gate elements, with each gate
element having a substantially U-shape configuration comprising
arms attached to a base. The first gate element can be attached
at its open end to the frame and the second gate element can be
attached at its open end to the sliding window. The first and
second gate elements are coupled together allowing the gate
elements to slide along each other and providing a barrier in
the space created between said window and said window frame.
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It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a
gate comprising a plurality of substantially rectangular-shaped
gate elements. The gate elements are oriented adjacent to one
another in a side-by-side arrangement. Each gate element is
pivotally attached along its adjacent edge to the adjacent edge
of the adjacent gate element. The exterior ends of the gate can
be pivotally attached to the frame and the sliding window.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION O THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the
drawings, wherein:
Figure 1, is a diagram of a typical sliding window;
Figure 2 is a diagram of a gate embodying the invention;
Figure 2a is a diagram of another gate embodying the
invention;
Figure 3 is a diagram of the invention installed in an
open sliding window;
Figure 4 is a diagram of the invention installed in a
closed sliding window;
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Figure 5 is a diagram of the invention installed in a
horizontal sliding window;
Figure 6 is a diagram of another embodiment of the
invention; and
Figure 7 is a diagram of another embodiment of the
invention.
DETATDED DESCRTPTTphT pF T PREFERRED ~pDI~
The present invention provides an inexpensive, easily
manufactured, assembled and installed window gate to provide a
barrier for window openings.
The various figures show aspects of the invention alone and
installed in a window frame. For clarity, same reference
numbers are used to identify same items throughout the figures
where appropriate.
As seen in figure 1, vertical window unit 1 comprises
window frame 2 and windows 3 and 3a. Each window 3, 3a slidably
moves vertically along the inside of the frame. Opening 4 is
created when windows 3 and 3a are positioned in the frame as
shown. Window units are available which allow vertical or
horizontal movement its windows.
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Figure 2 shows a gate incorporating the invention
uninstalled in a window frame. Gate 5 comprises a generally U-
shaped first gate element 6 and a generally U-shaped second gate
element 7. The first gate element generally comprises a
plurality of parallel arms 11a transversely attached tn an end
12. The second gate element generally comprises a plurality of
parallel arms 11b transversely attached to an end 12. The gate
elements can be made from various metals, plastics or wood. It
can be appreciated that the gate elements may be formed from a
single piece of material suitably shaped or, alternatively, by
assembling several separate pieces including arms, bases and
joints. Coupling elements 10 couple arms lla and 11b together.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the coupling
elements are coils. It can be appreciated that other coupling
elements, such as tubes or the like, may be used. With this
coupling arrangement, gate elements 6 and 7 can be slidably
moved towards and away from each other. At distal ends 9 of the
arms, loops provide means to facilitate fastening the gate
elements to appropriate locations on windows using screws, nails
or other fasteners. It can be appreciated that other loop-like
designs accomplish the same functionality. Hooks 18 may also be
used which may be fastened appropriately to a window or window
frame .
Figure 2a shows another gate incorporating the invention
uninstalled in a window. Gate 5a comprises a generally
rectangular first gate element 6a and a generally rectangular
second gate element 7a. The first gate element generally
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comprises a plurality of arms 11a attached to an end 12a. End
12b transversely joins members 11a at a spaced distance from end
12a. The second gate element generally comprises a plurality of
arms 11b attached to an end 12a. Similarly, end 12b
transversely joins members 11b at a spaced distance from end
12a. It can be appreciated that the gate elements may be formed
from a single piece of material suitably shaped or,
alternatively, by assembling several separate pieces including
arms, bases and joints. Coupling elements 10 couple arms lla
and llb together. Fastening hook 18 is shown in place in loop 9.
Figure 3 shows the invention installed and operating on a
partially open window. There, gate 5 is attached to frame 2 and
window 3a. At distal ends 9 of arms 11a, the first gate element
is attached to the side of the window frame adjacent to opening
4. At distal ends 8 of arms 11b, the second gate element is
attached to the distal end of window 3a. Screws 15, bolts or
other suitable fasteners may be used to attach the distal ends
of the gate elements to the window frame and window. Coupling
elements 10 couple arms 11a and 11b of each gate element
together, while allowing the gate elements to slide along peach
other.
It can be appreciated that with the window gate installed,
open area 4 is effectively blocked by gate 5. A child, adult or
sufficiently large object cannot easily pass through opening 4.
At the same time, upper portion 19 of window 3 remains unblocked
by gate 5, thereby allowing an unobstructed view therethrough.
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Figure 4 shows the invention installed and positioned in a
closed window. Gate 5 covers the area around window 3a, but not
window 3. This provides an unobstructed view through window 3.
Figure 5 shows the invention installed and positioned a
closed horizontal window. The invention operates in the same
relative manner as described for a vertical window. Gate 5 is
attached to frame 2 and window 3a. First gate element 6 is
attached to frame 2 at distal ends 9 of arms 11a. Second gate
element 7 is attached to window 3a at distal ends 10 of arms
11b. Coupling elements 10 couple arms 11a and 11b of each gate
element together. Again, there is an unobstructed view through
window 3.
Figure 6 shows another preferred embodiment of the
invention. For clarity, only window 3a is shown. Here, first
and second gate elements are generally rectangular in shape. At
distal end 9 of first gate element 6a it is pivotally attached
to the side of the window frame adjacent to opening 4. At
distal end 8 of second gate element 7a, it is pivotally attached
to the proximal end of window 3a to the opening. Hinges 14,
latches or other pivoting attachment arrangements can be used to
pivotally attach the gate elements to their respective parts of
the window. At the proximal ends 16 of each gate element, the
gate elements are pivotally coupled with coupling elements 10.
Coupling elements can be coils. As such, gate 5 pivots between
a closed position where the gate elements pivot outwardly away
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from the window frame to an open position where the gate
elements pivot towards the window frame as window 3a is opened.
In this embodiment, it can be appreciated that when the window
is fully closed, gate 5 is fully pivoted away from the frame and
is not in view of the frame, thereby not obstructing the view
through window 3a. Spring 13 attaching the first and second
gate elements biases together the two gate elements.
As shown in Figure 7, the embodiment of the invention shown
in Figure 6 can be modified to utilize a plurality of gate
elements 17. These gate elements may be connected together at
their edges to form an accordion-styled gate arrangement, with
the exterior gate elements being connected to the window and the
window frame respectively. When a plurality of gate elements
are used, the size of each gate element may be reduced, thereby
decreasing the distance which the folded portion of the window
gate extends outwardly from the window frame when the window is
not fully open. Generally, the number of gate elements must be
an even number to ensure that the fastened ends of the exterior
gate elements can be coincidentally near the window and the
window frame.
It can be appreciated that other shapes and configurations
for the first and second gate elements can be used which provide
the essential functionality and novelty of the invention.
Referring to Figure 3, it can be appreciated that the size
of opening 4 may be restricted by varying the lengths of arms
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11a and 11b. As window 3a is opened, the first and second gate
members extend from each other. fnlhen the travel of the first
and second gates is fully extended, window 3a cannot be opened
further. As such, it is possible to install a gate having a
total extension distance less than the full travel distance of
window 3a in frame 2. This allows the installer to control the
distance to which window 3a can be opened.
It can be appreciated that the gate is a simple, elegant
design, which is easily manufactured and installed and is
inexpensive.
Although various preferred embodiments of the present
invention have been described herein in detail, it can be
appreciated that the present invention is not restricted to what
is described above and shown in the drawings, but can be changed
or modified in many different ways within the scope of the
invention defined in the attached claims.
