Sealed window for dry box

• US 7,850,032 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2005
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Chad M. Remmers, Jeffrey D Carnevali
• Inventors: Remmers, Chad M., Carnevali, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick; Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCKINLEY, CHRISTOPHER BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US11/169,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20060169689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,995 Days
• Field of Search: 220/377, 220/4.22, 220/4.02, 114/364, 114/347, 206/811, 206/315.11
• US Class Current: 220/4.22
• 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 storage box device, consisting of:

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

a latch coupled for compressing the door seal mechanism between the peripheral lip portions of the bottom and top covers.

2. 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.

5. The seal of claim 1, wherein the window panel further consists of an optical magnification mechanism arranged for viewing the interior cavity through the window aperture.

3. A window having multiple integral seals,

a window 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, and 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, the window comprising:

a substantially optically transparent flexible membrane window panel, 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;

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, wherein the window seal mechanism further comprises a substantially continuous peripheral swelling that is relatively thicker than the window panel;

a substantially continuous peripheral door seal mechanism, wherein the door seal mechanism is positioned to be arranged between the peripheral edge of the first cover and the second cover, 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, and 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;

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; and

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.

4. The seal of claim 3 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.