Sealed window for dry box

• US 20110049175A1
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: National Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Remmers, Chad M., Carnevali, Jeffrey D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,701,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/849
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 49/00 Arrangements of nautical instruments or navigational aids nautical measuring instruments G01C; radio navigation, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/811 Waterproof

Abstract

A window having multiple integral seals, the window being formed of a substantially optically transparent flexible membrane window panel; a substantially continuous peripheral window seal mechanism surrounding the window panel with the window seal mechanism being a continuous peripheral slot having an opening facing away from the window panel and being structured to receive thereinto a substantially rigid inner peripheral window aperture frame; a contoured skirt completely surrounding the window sealing mechanism; a substantially continuous peripheral door seal mechanism formed adjacent to an edge of the contoured skirt; and wherein the window panel, the window seal mechanism, the contoured skirt and the door seal mechanism are mutually integrally formed of a substantially water-resistant and resiliently pliable material.

Claims

1. A window having multiple integral seals, the window comprising:

a substantially optically transparent flexible membrane window panel;

a substantially continuous peripheral window seal mechanism surrounding the window panel and continuous therewith, the window seal mechanism comprising a continuous peripheral slot opening structured to receive thereinto in a compressive sealing relationship therewith a substantially rigid inner peripheral window aperture frame;

a substantially continuous peripheral door seal mechanism;

a contoured skirt completely surrounding the window sealing mechanism and continuously interconnecting with the door seal mechanism therewith; and

wherein the window panel, the window seal mechanism, the contoured skirt and the door seal mechanism are continuously formed of a substantially water-resistant and resiliently pliable material.

2. The window of claim 1 wherein the window seal mechanism further comprises a substantially continuous peripheral swelling that is relatively thicker than the window panel.

3. The seal of claim 2, wherein the window is sized to cooperate with a box having first and second covers, one of the covers being formed with a window aperture having a rigid and substantially continuous inner peripheral window frame, and a peripheral edge of a first cover being sized to mate with a second cover;

wherein the window panel is sized to fit within the window aperture with the peripheral slot of the window seal mechanism fitted over the inner peripheral window frame in a substantially water-resistant sealing relationship therewith; and

wherein the door seal mechanism is structured to form a substantially water-resistant circumferential seal between the peripheral edge of the first cover and the second cover.

4. The seal of claim 3 wherein the peripheral edge of a first cover further comprises a continuous channel;

and

the door seal mechanism further comprises a substantially continuous peripheral swelling that is relatively thicker than the contoured skirt, the substantially continuous peripheral swelling being sized for being received at least partly into the channel.

5. The seal of claim 4 wherein the second cover further comprises a continuous tongue positioned for engaging and at least partly deforming the substantially continuous peripheral swelling of the door seal mechanism.

6. The seal of claim 3, wherein the box further comprises a hinge mechanism between the first and second covers and a latch mechanism for mutually securing the first and second covers with the window aperture arranged in a viewing relationship with an interior cavity of the box, and

wherein the door seal mechanism is positioned to be arranged between the peripheral edge of the first cover and the second cover.

8. The seal of claim 1 wherein the window panel further comprises an optical magnifier.

22. The seal of claim 1 wherein the continuous peripheral slot of the window seal mechanism further comprises a circumferential keyway structured to receive thereinto one or more circumferential key teeth projected out of a plane of the window aperture frame.

23. The seal of claim 6 wherein the door seal mechanism further comprises an integral flap spaced away from the window panel and the window seal mechanism by the contoured skirt and arranged in a substantially parallel relationship with the window panel.

24. The seal of claim 23 wherein the window aperture of the cover further comprises an inner peripheral ridge portion formed as a key with one or more circumferential key teeth projected away from a main body of the ridge portion out of a plane of the window aperture frame;

and

the continuous peripheral slot of the window seal mechanism further comprises a circumferential keyway structured to receive thereinto the one or more circumferential key teeth of the key.

7. (canceled)

9. A storage box device, comprising:

a pair of substantially rigid bottom and top covers forming an interior cavity therebetween, the bottom and top covers mating along respective peripheral lip portions formed around respective openings thereinto and being mutually hinged;

a window aperture formed in the top cover and being arranged for viewing the interior cavity therethrough, the window aperture being formed with a rigid and continuous inner peripheral window frame and further comprising inner and outer contact surfaces formed adjacent thereto; and

a one-piece window mechanism formed of a substantially water-resistant and resiliently pliable material and having;

a window sealing mechanism forming a substantially continuous circumferential seal with the window frame, the window sealing mechanism further comprising a circumferential slot fitted over the inner and outer contact surfaces of the window frame in a substantially continuous compressive sealing relationship therewith,

an optically transparent window panel integral with the window sealing mechanism and being arranged for viewing the interior cavity through the window aperture, and

a door seal mechanism continuous with the window sealing mechanism and positioned between the peripheral lip portions of the bottom and top covers.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein the window sealing mechanism further comprises an integral skirt between the window sealing mechanism and the door seal mechanism, the skirt being contoured to substantially match an inside contour of the top cover.

12. The device of claim 9 wherein the top cover further comprises a substantially continuous channel formed in the peripheral lip portion and facing toward the peripheral lip portion of the bottom cover;

and

the door seal mechanism further comprises a substantially continuous peripheral portion thereof that is positioned at least partly within the channel.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the peripheral lip portion of the bottom cover further comprises a circumferential tongue facing toward the peripheral lip portion of the top cover and positioned for mating with the circumferential channel.

14. The device of claim 9 wherein the window panel further comprises an optically transparent plastic membrane structured for communicating tactile inputs.

15. The device of claim 9 wherein the window panel further comprises an optical magnifier.

25. The device of claim 9 wherein the door seal mechanism further comprises a substantially continuous peripheral integral flap portion thereof that is spaced away from the window panel and the window sealing mechanism by an contoured skirt integral therebetween and arranged in a substantially parallel relationship with the window panel.

10. (canceled)

16. A storage box device, comprising:

a substantially rigid top cover formed of a floor surrounded by walls and a peripheral lip formed along an opening between the walls thereof;

a substantially rigid bottom cover formed of a floor surrounded by walls and a peripheral lip formed along an opening between the walls thereof;

a rotational hinge coupling the bottom and top covers along respective portions of the respective peripheral lips for mating the respective peripheral lips around respective openings and forming an interior cavity therebetween;

a window aperture formed in the floor of the top cover in a position for viewing the interior cavity therethrough with a rigid and substantially continuous inner peripheral window frame formed around the window aperture and further comprising inner and outer contact surfaces formed adjacent thereto;

a one-piece window mechanism formed of a substantially water-resistant and resiliently pliable material and having;

a peripheral window seal that is relatively larger than the window aperture and includes a peripheral slot in a continuous circumferential sealing relationship with the inner peripheral window frame, the window seal further comprising a circumferential slot fitted over the inner and outer contact surfaces of the window frame in a substantially continuous compressive sealing relationship therewith,

an optically transparent window panel integral with the window seal and surrounded thereby, the window panel being positioned in viewing relationship with the window aperture,

a peripheral door seal integral with the window seal and coupled to the peripheral lip of the top cover adjacent to the opening between the walls thereof in a position for being compressed between the respective peripheral lips of the top and bottom covers and

an integral skirt continuous between the peripheral window seal and peripheral door seal, the skirt being contoured to substantially match an interior contour of the walls of the top cover; and

a latch mechanism structured to couple together the respective peripheral lips of the top and bottom covers and compress the peripheral door seal therebetween.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein the peripheral lip of the top cover further comprises a channel formed therein having a portion of the peripheral door seated therein.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the peripheral lip of the bottom cover further comprises a tongue projected upward thereof and substantially aligned with the channel formed in the peripheral lip of the top cover.

20. The device of claim 16 wherein the window panel further comprises a flexible membrane structured to transmit tactile inputs therethrough.

17. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. A storage box device, comprising:

a pair of substantially rigid bottom and top covers forming an interior cavity therebetween, the bottom and top covers mating along respective peripheral lip portions formed around respective openings thereinto and being mutually hinged;

a window aperture formed in the top cover and being arranged for viewing the interior cavity therethrough, the window aperture being formed with a rigid and substantially continuous inner peripheral window frame and further consisting of inner and outer contact surfaces formed adjacent thereto;

a latch coupled for compressing together the peripheral lip portions of the bottom and top covers; and

a continuous window mechanism comprising a continuous one-piece sheet of a substantially water-resistant and resiliently pliable material, the continuous window mechanism consisting of;

a substantially optically transparent flexible membrane window panel arranged for viewing the interior cavity through the window aperture,

a compressive window seal formed continuously with the window panel and forming a continuous circumferential seal with the window frame, the window seal further consisting exclusively of a circumferential slot fitted over the inner and outer contact surfaces of the window frame in a continuous compressive sealing relationship therewith, and

a door seal formed continuously with the compressive window seal and positioned between the peripheral lip portions of the bottom and top covers.