US 12,163,374 B1Granted

Soft barrier

AssigneeRegalo International, LLC

InventorsMark A. Flannery, Michael P. Lane

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

The present soft barrier includes sheeting and a frame. The frame includes longitudinal and lateral support members. The sheeting is in a relaxed state when the lateral support members are in a retracted state. The sheeting is in a taut state when the lateral support members are in an extended fixed state. The sheeting may be in either the relaxed state or taut state when the longitudinal support members are in a retracted state or an extended state. A first adjustment mechanism for increasing or decreasing the longitudinal length of the barrier is a quick slide mechanism. A second adjustment mechanism for finely increasing or finely decreasing the longitudinal length of the barrier is a rotatable mechanism.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A soft barrier comprising:

a) a frame having first and second longitudinal support members, first and second lateral support members, and first, second, third, and fourth junctions, the first junction being between the first longitudinal support member and the first lateral support member, the second junction being between the first lateral support member and the second longitudinal support member, the third junction being between the second longitudinal support member and the second lateral support member, and the fourth junction being between the second lateral support member and the first longitudinal support member;
b) flexible sheeting engaged between the first and second longitudinal support members and between the first and second lateral support member;
c) the first junction being engaged to the first longitudinal support member and the first lateral support member, the second junction being engaged to the first lateral support member and the second longitudinal support member, the third junction being engaged to the second longitudinal support member and the second lateral support member, and the fourth junction being engaged to the second lateral support member and the first longitudinal support member;
d) the frame having a longitudinally fully extended state where a distance between the first and second lateral support members is maximized;
e) the frame having a longitudinally fully retracted state where the distance between the first and second lateral support members is minimized;
f) the frame being longitudinally extendable from the longitudinally fully retracted state to the longitudinally fully extended state, the frame being longitudinally retractable from the longitudinally fully extended state to the longitudinally fully retracted state;
g) the frame having a laterally fully retracted state where a first distance between the first and second longitudinal support members is minimized;
h) the frame having a laterally fixed extended state where a second distance between the first and second longitudinal support members is fixed;
i) the frame being laterally extendable from the laterally fully retracted state to the laterally fixed extended state, the frame being laterally retractable from the laterally fixed extended state to the laterally fully retracted state;
j) the first longitudinal support member including sections that telescope relative to each other, the second longitudinal support member including sections that telescope relative to each other, the first lateral support member including sections that telescope relative to each other, and the second lateral support member including sections that telescope relative to each other;
and
k) the first junction having a first female portion engaged to a first male portion of the first longitudinal support member, the first junction having a second female portion engaged to a first male portion of the first lateral support member, the first and second female portions of the first junction extending outwardly from a body of the first junction;
l) the second junction having a first female portion engaged to a second male portion of the first lateral support member, the second junction having a second female portion engaged to a first male portion of the second longitudinal support member, the first and second female portions of the second junction extending outwardly from a body of the second junction;
m) the third junction having a first female portion engaged to a second male portion of the second longitudinal support member, the third junction having a second female portion engaged to a first male portion of the second lateral support member, the first and second female portions of the third junction extending outwardly from a body of the third junction;
and
n) the fourth junction having a first female portion engaged to a second male portion of the second lateral support member, the fourth junction having a second female portion engaged to a second male portion of the first longitudinal support member, the first and second female portions of the fourth junction extending outwardly from a body of the fourth junction.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/197,098Filed 14 May 2023 · continuation
Priority: 9 Apr 2019
Granted: 10 Dec 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

E06B 9/0692
Collapsible or foldable, e.g. of the bellows or lazy-tongs type: comprising flexible sheets as closing screen
E05B 65/0007
Locks or fastenings for special use: for gates
E06B 9/06
Shutters, movable grilles, or other safety closing devices, e.g. against burglary: collapsible or foldable, e.g. of the bellows or lazy-tongs type
E06B 9/063
Characterised by the closing elements: bars or rods perpendicular to the closing direction

Family

Application62/831,662Us provisional application · filed 9 Apr 2019
Application16/843,839Parent of this continuation · filed 8 Apr 2020
Application17/525,920Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Nov 2021
US 11,174,675 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Nov 2021
US 11,649,669 B1Parent of this continuation
US 12,163,374 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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Abstract

A soft barrier comprising:

a) a frame having first and second longitudinal support members, first and second lateral support members, and first, second, third, and fourth junctions, the first junction being between the first longitudinal support member and the first lateral support member, the second junction being between the first lateral support member and the second longitudinal support member, the third junction being between the second longitudinal support member and the second lateral support member, and the fourth junction being between the second lateral support member and the first longitudinal support member;
b) flexible sheeting engaged between the first and second longitudinal support members and between the first and second lateral support member;
c) the first junction being engaged to the first longitudinal support member and the first lateral support member, the second junction being engaged to the first lateral support member and the second longitudinal support member, the third junction being engaged to the second longitudinal support member and the second lateral support member, and the fourth junction being engaged to the second lateral support member and the first longitudinal support member;
d) the frame having a longitudinally fully extended state where a distance between the first and second lateral support members is maximized;
e) the frame having a longitudinally fully retracted state where the distance between the first and second lateral support members is minimized;
f) the frame being longitudinally extendable from the longitudinally fully retracted state to the longitudinally fully extended state, the frame being longitudinally retractable from the longitudinally fully extended state to the longitudinally fully retracted state;
g) the frame having a laterally fully retracted state where a first distance between the first and second longitudinal support members is minimized;
h) the frame having a laterally fixed extended state where a second distance between the first and second longitudinal support members is fixed;
i) the frame being laterally extendable from the laterally fully retracted state to the laterally fixed extended state, the frame being laterally retractable from the laterally fixed extended state to the laterally fully retracted state;
j) the first longitudinal support member including sections that telescope relative to each other, the second longitudinal support member including sections that telescope relative to each other, the first lateral support member including sections that telescope relative to each other, and the second lateral support member including sections that telescope relative to each other;
and
k) the first junction having a first female portion engaged to a first male portion of the first longitudinal support member, the first junction having a second female portion engaged to a first male portion of the first lateral support member, the first and second female portions of the first junction extending outwardly from a body of the first junction;
l) the second junction having a first female portion engaged to a second male portion of the first lateral support member, the second junction having a second female portion engaged to a first male portion of the second longitudinal support member, the first and second female portions of the second junction extending outwardly from a body of the second junction;
m) the third junction having a first female portion engaged to a second male portion of the second longitudinal support member, the third junction having a second female portion engaged to a first male portion of the second lateral support member, the first and second female portions of the third junction extending outwardly from a body of the third junction;
and
n) the fourth junction having a first female portion engaged to a second male portion of the second lateral support member, the fourth junction having a second female portion engaged to a second male portion of the first longitudinal support member, the first and second female portions of the fourth junction extending outwardly from a body of the fourth junction.

13 more elements

Facts

Application

18/197,098Filed 14 May 2023 · continuation

Priority

9 Apr 2019

Granted

10 Dec 2024

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

E06B 9/0692
Collapsible or foldable, e.g. of the bellows or lazy-tongs type: comprising flexible sheets as closing screen
E05B 65/0007
Locks or fastenings for special use: for gates
E06B 9/06
Shutters, movable grilles, or other safety closing devices, e.g. against burglary: collapsible or foldable, e.g. of the bellows or lazy-tongs type
E06B 9/063
Characterised by the closing elements: bars or rods perpendicular to the closing direction

Family

Application62/831,662Us provisional application · filed 9 Apr 2019

Application16/843,839Parent of this continuation · filed 8 Apr 2020

Application17/525,920Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Nov 2021

US 11,174,675 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Nov 2021

US 11,649,669 B1Parent of this continuation

US 12,163,374 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.