Insect screen with improved optical properties

Abstract

An insect screen comprising fibers in a warp and fill construction defining openings having a warp dimension and a fill dimension, at least one of the warp and fill dimensions being less than about 0.05 inches and the other of the warp and fill dimensions being larger than about 0.03 inches, the fibers having a diameter of equal to or less than about 0.007 inches. The present invention is an improved insect screen designed to serve the primary purpose of keeping out insects and pests while maximizing visual clarity, light transmission, and airflow.

The invention claimed is:  
     
         1 . An insect screen comprising fibers in a warp and fill construction defining openings having a warp dimension and a fill dimension, at least one of said warp and fill dimensions being less than about 0.05 inches and the other of said warp and fill dimensions being larger than about 0.03 inches, said fibers having a diameter of equal to or less than about 0.007 inches.  
     
     
         2 . An insect screen as defined in  claim 1  wherein said diameter is equal to or less than about 0.006 inches.  
     
     
         3 . An insect screen as defined in  claim 1  wherein said diameter is equal to or less than about 0.005 inches.  
     
     
         4 . An insect screen as defined in  claim 1  wherein said diameter is equal to or less than about 0.004 inches.  
     
     
         5 . An insect screen as defined in  claim 1  wherein said fibers are metal fibers.  
     
     
         6 . An insect screen as defined in  claim 1  wherein said fibers are non-metallic fibers.  
     
     
         7 . An insect screen as defined in  claim 1  wherein said fibers are fluoropolymer fibers.  
     
     
         8 . An insect screen as defined in  claim 1  wherein said fibers are PVDF fibers.  
     
     
         9 . An insect screen as defined in  claim 1  wherein the screen has a visual clarity factor equal to or greater than about 55%.  
     
     
         10 . An insect screen as defined in  claim 1  wherein the screen has a visual clarity factor equal to or greater than about 60%.  
     
     
         11 . An insect screen as defined in  claim 1  wherein the screen has a visual clarity factor equal to or greater than about 65%.  
     
     
         12 . An insect screen as defined in  claim 1  wherein the screen has a visual clarity factor equal to or greater than about 70%.  
     
     
         13 . An insect screen as defined in  claim 1  wherein the screen has a visual clarity factor equal to or greater than about 75%.  
     
     
         14 . An insect screen as defined in  claim 1  wherein the screen has a visual clarity factor of about 75%.  
     
     
         15 . An insect screen as defined in  claim 1  further comprising a frame having a groove and spline construction, said fibers mounted in said frame.  
     
     
         16 . An insect screen comprising fibers in a warp and fill construction defining openings having a warp dimension and a fill dimension, at least one of said warp and fill dimensions being less than about 0.05 inches and the other of said warp and fill dimensions being larger than about 0.03 inches, said fibers having a diameter of equal to or less than about 0.007 inches, said fibers are PVDF fibers, and the screen has a visual clarity factor equal to or greater than about 55%.  
     
     
         17 . A woven fiber insect screen comprising fibers in a warp and fill construction defining openings having a warp dimension and a fill dimension, at least one of said warp and fill dimensions being less than about 0.05 inches and the other of said warp and fill dimensions being larger than about 0.03 inches, said fibers being fluoropolymer fibers.  
     
     
         18 . The insect screen of  claim 17  where said fibers are opaque.  
     
     
         19 . The insect screen of  claim 17  where said fibers are clear.  
     
     
         20 . The insect screen of  claim 17  where said fibers are dark in color.  
     
     
         21 . The woven fiber insect screen of  claim 17 , wherein said fibers are mounted in a frame having a groove and spline construction.  
     
     
         22 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen comprising fibers in a warp and fill construction defining openings having a warp dimension and a fill dimension, at least one of said warp and fill dimensions being less than about 0.05 inches and the other of said warp and fill dimensions being larger than about 0.03 inches, with a total light transmission equal to or greater than about 60%.  
     
     
         23 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 22  wherein said total light transmission is equal to or greater than about 65%.  
     
     
         24 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 22  wherein said total light transmission is equal to or greater than about 70%.  
     
     
         25 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 22  wherein said total light transmission is equal to or greater than about 75%.  
     
     
         26 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 22  wherein said total light transmission is equal to or greater than about 80%.  
     
     
         27 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 22  wherein said total light transmission is equal to or greater than about 85%.  
     
     
         28 . A woven fiber insect screen comprising fibers in a warp and fill construction defining openings having a warp dimension and a fill dimension, at least one of said warp and fill dimensions being less than about 0.05 inches and the other of said warp and fill dimensions being larger than about 0.03 inches, with a total light transmission equal to or greater than about 75%.  
     
     
         29 . A woven fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 28  wherein said total light transmission equal to or greater than about 80%.  
     
     
         30 . A woven fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 28  wherein said total light transmission equal to or greater than about 85%.  
     
     
         31 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen comprising fibers in a warp and fill construction defining openings having a warp dimension and a fill dimension, at least one of said warp and fill dimensions being less than about 0.05 inches and the other of said warp and fill dimensions being larger than about 0.03 inches, with specular light transmission is equal to or greater than about 60%.  
     
     
         32 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 31  wherein said specular light transmission is equal to or greater than about 65%.  
     
     
         33 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 31  wherein said specular light transmission is equal to or greater than about 70%.  
     
     
         34 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 31  wherein said specular light transmission is equal to or greater than about 75%.  
     
     
         35 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 31  wherein said specular light transmission is equal to or greater than about 80%.  
     
     
         36 . A woven fiber insect screen comprising fibers in a warp and fill construction defining openings having a warp dimension and a fill dimension, at least one of said warp and fill dimensions being less than about 0.05 inches and the other of said warp and fill dimensions being larger than about 0.03 inches, with specular light transmission equal to or greater than about 75%.  
     
     
         37 . A woven fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 36  wherein said specular light transmission is equal to or greater than about 80%.  
     
     
         38 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen comprising fibers in a warp and fill construction defining openings having a warp dimension and a fill dimension, at least one of said warp and fill dimensions being less than about 0.05 inches and the other of said warp and fill dimensions being larger than about 0.03 inches, with a visual clarity factor equal to or greater than about 55%.  
     
     
         39 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 38  wherein said visual clarity factor is equal to or greater than about 60%.  
     
     
         40 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 38  wherein said visual clarity factor is equal to or greater than about 65%.  
     
     
         41 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 38  wherein said visual clarity factor is equal to or greater than about 70%.  
     
     
         42 . A woven non-metallic fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 38  wherein said visual clarity factor is equal to or greater than about 75%.  
     
     
         43 . A woven fiber insect screen comprising fibers in a warp and fill construction defining openings having a warp dimension and a fill dimension, at least one of said warp and fill dimensions being less than about 0.05 inches and the other of said warp and fill dimensions being larger than about 0.03 inches, with a visual clarity factor equal to or greater than about 60%.  
     
     
         44 . A woven fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 43  wherein said visual clarity factor is equal to or greater than about 65%.  
     
     
         45 . A woven fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 43  wherein said visual clarity factor is equal to or greater than about 70%.  
     
     
         46 . A woven fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 43  wherein said visual clarity factor is equal to or greater than about 75%.  
     
     
         47 . A woven fiber insect screen comprising non-metallic fibers in a warp and fill construction defining openings having a warp dimension and a fill dimension, at least one of said warp and fill dimensions being less than about 0.05 inches and the other of said warp and fill dimensions being larger than about 0.03 inches, fibers in said warp dimension and fibers in said fill dimension intersecting at intersections wherein said fibers are bonded at at least some of said intersections to form bonded intersections, and wherein said fibers have a cross-section that is substantially round between said bonded intersections.  
     
     
         48 . A woven fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 47  wherein said bonded intersections are thermally bonded.  
     
     
         49 . A woven fiber insect screen as defined in  claim 47  wherein said bonded intersections are thermally bonded via ultrasonic energy.  
     
     
         50 . A method of making a woven fiber screen comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing non-metallic fibers having a cross-section;    (b) weaving said non-metallic fibers into warp and fill construction defining openings having a warp dimension and a fill dimension, said fibers in said warp dimension and said fibers in said fill dimension intersecting at intersections; and    (c) ultrasonically bonding said fibers at at least some of said intersections to form bonded intersections without substantially disturbing the cross-section of the fibers between said bonded intersections.    
     
     
         51 . A method of making a woven fiber screen as defined in  claim 50  wherein said woven fiber screen is an insect screen and step (b) further comprises weaving said fibers such that at least one of said warp and fill dimensions are less than about 0.05 inches and the other of said warp and fill dimensions is larger than about 0.03 inches.  
     
     
         52 . A method of making a woven fiber screen as defined in  claim 50  wherein said fibers have a diameter equal to or less than about 0.007 inches.