STORM PANEL FOR PROTECTING WINDOWS AND DOORS DURING HIGH WINDS

• US 20080313978A1
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Composite Structures, LLC
• Original Assignee: Jhrg LLC
• Inventors: Holland, John E., Holland, Connie W., Nathan, Daniel M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,900,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/202
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/005 Storm panels; hurricane shutters
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/02 Shutters, movable grilles, or other safety closing devices, e.g. against burglary louvre windows or grilles E06B7/08; lamellar blinds E06B9/26

Abstract

A storm panel of high strength fabric is constructed, reinforced, and installed in such a way as to comply with the building codes as a large missile impact system. When not in use, the fabric can be rolled and stored and placed in an attractive cover without disassembly.

Claims

1. A storm panel for protecting windows and doors during high winds such as those accompanying hurricanes comprising:

(a) a panel of high strength fabric of such size and shape as to extend across the corresponding window or door;

(b) a hem along opposed edges of the panel;

(c) a relatively flat reinforcing strip placed in each hem;

(d) a series of holes at spaced points through each hem and reinforcing strip, each hole having a grommet therethrough; and

(e) a plurality of anchors placed through the holes and grommets in each hem and strip and into the adjacent wall structure.

2. The storm panel according to claim 1 wherein the high strength fabric is selected from the group consisting of fabrics formed primarily of ultra high molecular weigh polyethylene, fabrics formed primarily of ultra high molecular weight aramids, fabrics formed primarily of ultra high molecular weight polypropylene, and fabric formed primarily of blends thereof.

3. The storm panel according to claim 1 wherein the high strength fabric is formed from yarns selected from the group consisting of yarns formed primarily of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, yarns formed primarily of ultra high molecular weight aramids, yarns formed primarily of ultra high molecular weight polypropylene fibers, and yarns formed primarily of blends thereof.

4. The storm panel according to claim 1 and further including a decorative cover member attached along one edge adjacent the top of the fabric panel and having a length such as to substantially surround the panel when in a rolled up storage configuration, and a plurality of c-shaped clips attached at one end to the anchors and substantially surrounding the cover and rolled up panel, the clips maintaining the panel in the rolled condition in the storage configuration, wherein the cover provides an attractive protective cover for the storm panel in a storage configuration.

5. The storm panel according to claim 1, wherein the fabric panel includes a series of holes with grommets on the other two sides and anchors placed through the holes and grommets and into the underlying wall structure adjacent the other side of the window or door.