Threaded Pivot Bar for Window Sash Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pivot bars for windows are difficult to install onsite and can structurally weaken the window, especially when tolerances vary between the window sash and jamb, leading to potential issues during inclement weather or unauthorized entry, and require costly replacements.

Innovation Solution

A laterally adjustable threaded pivot bar system, comprising an elongated screw with an oversized head and a receiver channel in the window sash rail, allowing for rotatable engagement and adjustment to ensure proper mating with the pivot bar shoe, thereby accommodating installation site variances without weakening the window.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a conventional pivot bar is installed by boring a hole in the corner of the window sash sidewall, then the pivot bar can be inserted and the window can pivot, but the window structure is weakened particularly during inclement weather or when resisting unauthorized entry

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepivot bar installationVSAvoidwindow structural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The pivot bar system is divided into separate components: a pivot bar member that interfaces with the window sash and a pivot bar shoe that interfaces with the window jamb. This segmentation allows the pivot bar to be installed without boring holes through the window corner, thereby maintaining structural integrity while still enabling pivot functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts the problematic hole-boring step from the installation process. Instead of boring a hole through the window sash corner, the pivot bar member is designed to interface with an existing receiver or mounting structure, eliminating the need to compromise the window's structural strength through drilling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of manufacture

If the pivot bar is installed with fixed dimensions, then manufacturing is simplified, but installation site variations in the distance between window jamb and sash sidewall cause mismatch between pivot bar and shoe

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepivot bar manufacturingVSAvoidinstallation site tolerance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The pivot bar member incorporates a threaded portion that allows for lateral adjustment of its position. This dynamic adjustment capability enables installers to accommodate variations in installation site dimensions, ensuring proper alignment between the pivot bar and shoe even when tolerances vary, while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If the pivot bar is made laterally adjustable during installation, then proper mating with the pivot bar shoe can be achieved despite tolerance variations, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepivot bar lateral adjustabilityVSAvoidpivot bar structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pivot bar member includes a threaded portion that allows for lateral adjustment by changing its positional parameter. This simple threaded mechanism provides the necessary adaptability to accommodate installation variations without significantly increasing device complexity, as threads are a standard, well-understood mechanical feature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Ease of operation

If the pivot bar screw head is oversized relative to the shaft, then the screw can be easily gripped and adjusted during installation, but the screw head passes beyond the pivot bar shoe requiring additional space

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescrew grip and adjustmentVSAvoidscrew head clearance space

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The oversized screw head extends beyond the pivot bar shoe in the lateral dimension, creating clearance space that accommodates the brake positioning. This dimensional arrangement allows the brake to be positioned in front of the pivot bar shoe rather than behind it, optimizing the spatial configuration for both ease of adjustment and proper functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS11549293B1Threaded pivot bar and method

Publication Date: 2023.01.10 AMESBURY IND INC

AI summary

A pivot bar in the nature of a screw with a head and a threaded portion for lateral adjustment at the site of a window installation is provided. A receiver is integrally formed in the bottom rail of a window sash, the receiver defined as a channel sized and shaped to frictionally engage with the threaded portion of the screw to structurally support the pivot bar during use. The pivot bar is rotatably engaged to position the threads within the receiver and laterally adjusted relative to the distance between the window sash and the window jamb such that the screw head mates with the pivot bar shoe associated in the corresponding window jamb, accounting for any measuring variances between the window jamb and the window sash. A method of installing a laterally adjustable pivot bar is also provided.