Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02738841 2012-08-07
DESCRIPTION
Quick Release Window Covering
Technical Field
Across the country, within each province, a key concern of the education
system is
the right to learn, work, and be present in a safe and secure environment
(Ref.1, page 28 ).
In a time of crisis, these concerns extend to ensuring that students, staff
and visitors are
exposed to as little risk as possible and there are mandatory protocols
established in each
jurisdiction for handling the circumstances which may arise. Certain
situations warrant iso-
lation as including, but are not limited to;
- a student, staff, visitor or intruder who has become or is threatening to
become violent in-
side the building.
- person(s) outside the building intent on entering the building to cause
harm.
In these circumstances it would be safer for staff, students and visitors to
stay secure in-
side a school room or facility room.
Background of the Invention
Interior windows are normally required into all rooms within a school
environment as
they allow for direct visibility and added safety for the people inside the
room during normal
daily operations. Also, hidden spaces are not designed within a school for
many security
reasons. During certain emergency situations there is an identified need to
have no visibil-
ity into the same room for a different security reason, a school lockdown.
These are differ-
ent but equally important requirements within a school environment.
The mandatory protocol for situations in which a person or persons are
threatening
violence inside an educational institution is to ensure that students, staff
and visitors are
isolated in a secured or "locked down" room within the facility. A critical
factor in achieving
an effective lockdown procedure is the ability to activate the security
features of a room in
as short a time as possible. The procedure for securing a room includes
several key de-
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tails (Ref.1, pages 32-33 and Ref. 2, pages 10-11 ) such as locking any doors
that provide
access into the room and blocking visibility into the room through any
windows, as it is
known that an intruder typically will avoid rooms that they cannot get into
and cannot see
into. During lockdown situations, reaction time is critical.
There are currently concerns and problems that are related to blocking out the
win-
dows while securing a room for lockdown. A window is defined as any glazed
opening
which may be in a door, a sidelight, or in a wall. Most schools currently rely
on paper prod-
ucts and tape to cover window openings. These items are readily available
inside a school
but not always within reach and cannot be affixed to a window opening in a
manageable
timeframe. Even though everyone is in a crisis situation the window still must
be covered
with speed and accuracy.
There are specific requirements for a window covering during a lockdown
procedure:
= MUST be opaque (no shadows)
= MUST cover entire window (no partial visibility)
= MUST be quick in deployment to block window opening(s)
Other features that would benefit a school or other facility when acquiring a
window cover-
ing are:
= EASY to install
= MINIMAL maintenance
= COST EFFECTIVE to allow schools to purchase units for every room
A variety of window coverings exist. The following are some solutions that are
currently
being produced and sold by suppliers across the country:
= Mini Blinds / Venetian Blinds
These blinds have one mechanism to deploy the blind and a second mecha-
nism to turn the blind closed, taking some time to use. They don't always
completely block the view because of the holes in the slats that make up the
blind and also the thickness of the mechanical header that is required to hold
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CA 02738841 2012-08-07
the blind in place. This can also cause gaps around the outside edge of the
blind. Also they require tools and hardware to install. They are more expen-
sive per unit to purchase and install. The controls of the blinds have added
risks (strings, chain, etc) especially in a school setting. Due to the high
number of parts these blinds can be easily damaged and are hard to keep
clean. These blinds also require regular maintenance to ensure their func-
tionality.
= Roller Blinds
Roller blinds are easier to deploy than mini or venetian blinds but do run the
risk of springing back up if there is a mechanical failure. They don't always
completely block the view because of the thickness of the mechanical header
that is required to hold the blind in place. This can also cause gaps around
the outside edge of the blind. They also require tools and hardware to install
blind. They are more expensive per unit to purchase and install. These
blinds are generally lightweight but can easily be damaged if not deployed
properly. Requires less maintenance than mini or venetian blinds as they
have fewer mechanical parts.
= Redi Shades
Redi Shades are a temporary blind that are not opaque and therefore do not
cut out total visibility into a room. You can see shadows or movement.
These blinds are a peel and stick installation and clothespins that are sup-
plied with the unit are used to hold the blind up out of the way as they are
not
designed to stay furled. When deployed they do not lie flat over the window
opening and do not block the view completely. They are fragile since they
are made of paper and will deteriorate over time. A blind can be damaged
very easily. Generally the lower quality of this blind makes it a temporary
solution and they will have to be replaced regularly.
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Summary of the Invention
The Quick Release Window Covering is a new solution to this growing need of
being
secure inside any facility (schools or other institutions). It is a simple
constructed blind so-
lution which is extremely fast and easy to released with little effort, and
lies flat in order to
cover the entire window opening to prevent or eliminate the visibility from
the outside of a
room. There are minimal parts in the Quick Release Window Covering which
reduces the
risk of failure during critical situations. There is no mechanism or moving
parts to deploy
the blind. A light pulling action on the hold/release tabs releases the flat
panel of stiff
opaque fabric to ensure the window opening is covered with minimal gaps
ensuring no
"see-thru" quality. This window covering is very cost efficient with minimal
installation re-
quired. No tools or hardware are required for installation. There are no
hanging parts or
other features that can harm children. There is very little chance of the
blind being easily
damaged because of the durability and flexibility of the material used to
create the window
covering. This durability and flexibility increases the lifespan of the window
covering. The
Quick Release Window Covering is a new and simple solution that can be used
where it is
necessary to block visibility into a space, for safety, security or privacy
situations.
Brief Description of Drawings
Figure 1 is a schematic front and back view of the Quick Release Window
Covering
embodying the invention and showing the installation of the invention
permanently affixed
to an interior door.
Figure 2 is showing the position of the header mounting strip which is
permanently
affixed to an interior door.
Figure 3 is showing the front view of the Quick Release Window Covering
affixed to
an interior door and in the furled position for storage.
Figure 4 is showing the side view of the Quick Release Window Covering affixed
to
an interior door and in the furled position for storage.
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Figure 5 is showing the Quick Release Window Covering in three different
openings
options within a room. 1-A window within a door. 2-A window in a wall. 3-A
door sidelight.
They show the furled and unfurled positions of the Quick Release Window
Covering.
Figure 6 is showing the side view of the Quick Release Window Covering in the
furled positions on window openings.
Figure 7 is showing the side view of the Quick Release Window Covering in the
un-
furled positions on window openings.
Detailed Description
This window covering is a cloth fabric, such as vinyl, that is stiff opaque,
medium
weight, and has multiple hold/release tabs, that easily releases the window
covering to fall
and cover the window opening quickly and completely. The precisely located and
aligned
hold/release tabs are small pieces of velcro (TM) sewn to the blind unit which
keep the win-
dow covering in place out of the way for storage and also allow for the quick
release which
is critical to a lockdown. The relative small size of the velcro (TM) pieces
is key to the re-
lease in relation to the weight of the fabric. The small sections have a
specific resistant
tensile strength to hold the fabric in place when in storage. The larger
surface area of vel-
cro (TM) allows for secure holding of the blind to the window opening inside a
framed struc-
ture. Velcro (rM) allows for the blind to not have a need for a mechanical
fastener or com-
ponents. The relative weight of the fabric allows for constant tension on the
velcro gm) and
aides in the quick release of the blind. The blind is always in tension when
in the storage
mode. The fabric finish works well, in favour with the velcro (TM) to not
cause the fabric to
get caught during release. All velcro (TM) pieces are sewn in place for
durability. Velcro (TM)
is the main component that enables the easy installation of this new window
covering. The
Quick Release Window Covering is basically maintenance free since the material
is dura-
ble, flexible, and resistant to wear and damage. The window coverings are
custom made
to fit each window opening. The blinds come in a choice of colour for
aesthetics but also
allows them to blend in with room decor. The colour match is to help make them
unobtru-
sive and non-distracting when furled. When furled this reduces the urge for
people to play
with them.
CA 02738841 2012-08-07
In Figure 1, production of the Quick Release Window Covering begins with the
measurement of each window 5 opening inside of door 6. The window covering
panel 1 is
measured out to be moderately larger than a given window 5 opening. The window
cover-
ing panel 1 is cut to be wider and longer than the window 5 opening to ensure
the complete
coverage of the window 5 opening and to minimize any gaps. A velcro (TM)
mounting strip 3
is cut to correspond to the width of the window covering panel 1 and then sewn
7 to the top
edge of the window covering panel 1 on the wrong side of the window covering
panel 1 for
installation purposes. This forms the first part of the header of the Quick
Release Window
Covering. The matching mate of the velcro(TM) mounting strip 2, which has an
adhesive
backing on it, is measured and cut to fit the velcro (TM) mounting strip 3
which is attached to
the adhesive velcro (TM) mounting strip 2 to complete the header. In Figure 2
this adhesive
velcro (TM) mounting strip 2 will be removed and transferred and then affixed
above the win-
dow 5 opening within the door 6 at the time of installation.
In Figure 1, the next step of production is where one piece of the
hold/release tabs
4A are cut and sewn 7 to the header section on the window covering panel 1, on
the right
side of the window covering panel 1 and through the velcro (TM) mounting strip
3. Note: The
hold/release tabs 4A are not sewn 7 through the adhesive velcro (TM) mounting
strip 2, it has
been removed at this time until the Quick Release Window Covering unit is
complete. The
matching pieces of the hold/release tabs 4B are placed in coordinating
positions just below
the header section and on the wrong side of the window covering panel 1. To
confirm and
mark the position of the hold/release tabs 4B the window covering panel 1 is
rolled into its
furled position. Note: The number of hold/release tabs 4A & 4B is dependent on
the width
of the window covering panel 1. The hold/release tabs 4A & 4B are perfectly
aligned to se-
cure the window covering panel 1 in place against the velcro (TM) mounting
strip 3 when the
window covering panel 1 is fully rolled up during normal operations. To test
the alignment
of the hold/release tabs 4A & 4B the window covering panel 1 is rolled into
its furled posi-
tion again. The adhesive velcro (TM) mounting strip 2 is returned to the
matching velcro (TM)
mounting strip 3 on the window covering panel 1. The production of the
individual Quick
Release Window Covering is complete.
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CA 02738841 2012-08-07
In Figure 2, for installation of the completed Quick Release Window Covering,
the
adhesive velcro (FM) mounting strip 2 is separated from the velcro(M) mounting
strip 3 of the
window covering panel 1 and is leveled and centered above the window 5 opening
within
the door 6 extending entirely across the top and is adhered with manual
pressure.
In Figure 3 the Quick Release Window Covering is then attached to the top of
the
window 5 opening making sure the matching velcro (TM) mounting strip 3 align
and adhere
well to the adhesive velcro (TM) mounting strip 2 over the full width of the
window covering
panel 1.
Figure 4 shows the Quick Release Window Covering completely deployed/unfurled,
covering the window 5 opening during a real Iockdown situation or a lockdown
drill.
Figure 5, 6 and 7 show installation options with windows 5 and doors 6 that
have the
Quick Release Window Covering installed/furled 8 over multiple window 5
openings. One
option illustrates the Quick Release Window Covering deployed/unfurled 9.
References:
1. Provincial Model for a Local Police/School Board Protocol-2011, Ministry of
Education of
Ontario, Canada
2. Keeping our School Safe: A Protocol for Violence Prevention and Crisis
Response in
New Brunswick Schools, Department of Education of New Brunswick, Canada
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