US3924671A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Folding screen for light permeable skylights and the like
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-03-05
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Granted: 1975-12-09
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Expires: 1995-03-05
Abstract
Abstract A folding screen formed by a plurality of successively hinged, rigid, radiation-controlling panels supported for horizontal, planar movement in a pair of parallel, overhead tracks and operated by a flexible drive member extending along the track and connected to the lead panel. Since each panel is supported in the tracks only at its ends, each panel must possess sufficient rigidity to permit hinged, side-by-side coaction of interconnected panels from a stacked, generally vertical relationship to a generally horizontal, planar relationship. To enable the screen to be collapsed from an extended planar position without jamming, alternate hinges are vertically upwardly displaced. In a particular embodiment the hinges are provided with rollers at the ends thereof. Rollers for the lower and upper hinges travel in lower and upper levels, respectively, of each overhead track. A particularly useful elongated panel for a radiation screen under a light-permeable building component comprises an arcuate extrudate bounded at the sides by relatively thick discontinuous ribs, each of sufficient thickness to have an axial bore adapted to journal a rod for hingedly connecting adjacent panels for horizontal, side-by-side coaction from a collapsed, distensible stack of plural panels into an extended, collapsible radiation screen, and vice versa.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles R Gates
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 09:33
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04D; E04D13/00; E04D13/03; E04D13/033; E05; E05D; E05D15/00; E05D15/26; E06; E06B; E06B9/00; E06B9/24; E06B9/26; E06B9/28; E05Y; E05Y2900/00; E05Y2900/10; E05Y2900/13; E05Y2900/132; E05Y2900/148; E05Y2900/152; E05Y2900/154
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
238 words
A folding radiation screen having predetermined permeability to sunlight, for operation beneath a skylight or light-permeable roof structure, said screen comprising a plurality of relatively rigid panels successively hinged together through interdigitated longitudinal edges thereof for co-action in side-by-side relationship and supported by a pair of parallel, overhead track means inclinedly disposed at an angle less than 75* with respect to the horizontal, each said track means including a lower horizontal track and an immovable vertical guiding lip means, said panels being movable from a folded, stacked relationship adjacent one end of said track means to a generally planar relationship extending between said one end and the other end of said track means, the end panel adjacent said one end being fixedly disposed for pivotal movement about the longitudinal edge of said end panel adjacent said one end; rolling means supported by said lower horizontal track, and, washer or spacer means supported by said lip means to coactingly translate said panels along said tracks so as to dispose hinged edges supported by said lip means in a plane vertically upwardly displaced relative to a plane including hinged edges supported by said rolling means; and, flexible means to exert a sufficient force on said panels, in either direction along said tracks, to translate said panels from said stacked relationship into said generally planar relationship, or vice versa, so as to control the intensity of said sunlight below said screen.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
238 words
A folding radiation screen having predetermined permeability to sunlight, for operation beneath a skylight or light-permeable roof structure, said screen comprising a plurality of relatively rigid panels successively hinged together through interdigitated longitudinal edges thereof for co-action in side-by-side relationship and supported by a pair of parallel, overhead track means inclinedly disposed at an angle less than 75* with respect to the horizontal, each said track means including a lower horizontal track and an immovable vertical guiding lip means, said panels being movable from a folded, stacked relationship adjacent one end of said track means to a generally planar relationship extending between said one end and the other end of said track means, the end panel adjacent said one end being fixedly disposed for pivotal movement about the longitudinal edge of said end panel adjacent said one end; rolling means supported by said lower horizontal track, and, washer or spacer means supported by said lip means to coactingly translate said panels along said tracks so as to dispose hinged edges supported by said lip means in a plane vertically upwardly displaced relative to a plane including hinged edges supported by said rolling means; and, flexible means to exert a sufficient force on said panels, in either direction along said tracks, to translate said panels from said stacked relationship into said generally planar relationship, or vice versa, so as to control the intensity of said sunlight below said screen.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The folding screen of claim 1 wherein said panels are arcuate, the curvature of each panel being such that a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of each panel and on the surface thereof, is vertically displaced with respect to the longitudinal edges of each panel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
233 words
A folding radiation screen having predetermined permeability to sunlight, for operation beneath a skylight or light-permeable roof structure, said screen comprising a plurality of relatively rigid panels successively hinged together through interdigitated longitudinal edges thereof for co-action in side-by-side relationship and supported by a pair of parallel, overhead bi-level track means inclinedly disposed at an angle less than 75* WITH respect to the horizontal, each said track means including an upper level track and a lower level track, said panels being movable from a folded, stacked relationship adjacent one end of said track means, to a generally planar relationship extending between said one end and the other end of said track means, the end panel adjacent said one end being fixedly disposed for pivotal movement about the longitudinal edge of said end panel adjacent said one end; upper roller means supported by said upper level track, and lower roller means supported by said lower level track to coactingly translate said panels along said tracks so as to dispose upper hinges of said screen in a plane vertically upwardly displaced relative to a plane including lower hinges of said screen; and, flexible means to exert sufficient force on said panels, in either direction along said tracks, to translate said panels from said stacked relationship into said generally planar relationship, or vice versa, so as to control the intensity of said sunlight below said screen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
233 words
A folding radiation screen having predetermined permeability to sunlight, for operation beneath a skylight or light-permeable roof structure, said screen comprising a plurality of relatively rigid panels successively hinged together through interdigitated longitudinal edges thereof for co-action in side-by-side relationship and supported by a pair of parallel, overhead bi-level track means inclinedly disposed at an angle less than 75* WITH respect to the horizontal, each said track means including an upper level track and a lower level track, said panels being movable from a folded, stacked relationship adjacent one end of said track means, to a generally planar relationship extending between said one end and the other end of said track means, the end panel adjacent said one end being fixedly disposed for pivotal movement about the longitudinal edge of said end panel adjacent said one end; upper roller means supported by said upper level track, and lower roller means supported by said lower level track to coactingly translate said panels along said tracks so as to dispose upper hinges of said screen in a plane vertically upwardly displaced relative to a plane including lower hinges of said screen; and, flexible means to exert sufficient force on said panels, in either direction along said tracks, to translate said panels from said stacked relationship into said generally planar relationship, or vice versa, so as to control the intensity of said sunlight below said screen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The folding screen of claim 3 wherein said panels are arcuate and successively hinged together with a downwardly concave panel adjacent an upwardly concave panel.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-08 | 1979-06-09 | 1979-12-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-08 | 1983-06-09 | 1983-12-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-08 | 1987-06-09 | 1987-12-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |