US 12,439,864 B2
System and method for reversibly covering a zone
Eyal Shay, Yiron (IL); Johanan Raviv, Ramat Gan (IL); and Yoram Nir, Yesud Hamaala (IL)
Assigned to SLIDE2SEAL LTD., Kerem Ben Zimra (IL)
Appl. No. 17/760,613
Filed by Slide2Seal Ltd., Kerem Ben Zimra (IL)
PCT Filed Sep. 15, 2020, PCT No. PCT/IL2020/051007
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 15, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/053664, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 25, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/900,759, filed on Sep. 16, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0287250 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. A01G 13/37 (2025.01); A01G 13/29 (2025.01); E04H 4/10 (2006.01); A01G 9/22 (2006.01); E04D 13/035 (2006.01); E04F 10/06 (2006.01); E04H 7/22 (2006.01)
CPC A01G 13/37 (2025.01) [E04H 4/101 (2013.01); A01G 9/227 (2013.01); A01G 13/29 (2025.01); E04D 13/035 (2013.01); E04F 10/0607 (2013.01); E04H 2007/225 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. System for reversibly covering a zone, the system comprising at least one overlying module, each overlying module including a first rail element, a second rail element, a strip panel element, and a first bobbin, the overlying module having a first module longitudinal end and a second module longitudinal end, wherein:
a) the first rail element has a respective longitudinal axis, a respective first longitudinal end and a respective second longitudinal end longitudinally spaced from the respective first end along the respective longitudinal axis, the first rail element comprising a first rail body longitudinally extending between the respective said first longitudinal end and the respective said second longitudinal end, said first rail body defining therein at least one respective longitudinally extending first lumen having a respective longitudinally co-extensive transverse first opening, the first rail element being configured for being mounted to at least one first longitudinal support member in load bearing contact therewith in operation of the first rail element, wherein said first rail element is configured for being mounted to the at least one said first longitudinal support member in a non-longitudinal manner, and wherein first rail element longitudinally extends between said first module longitudinal end and said second module longitudinal end;
b) a first longitudinally extending support element, longitudinally extending between said first module longitudinal end and said second module longitudinal end, the first rail element being mounted to the first longitudinally extending support element;
c) the second rail element has a respective longitudinal axis, a respective first longitudinal end and a respective second longitudinal end longitudinally spaced from the respective first end along the respective longitudinal axis, the second rail element comprising a second rail body longitudinally extending between the respective said first longitudinal end and the respective said second longitudinal end, said second rail body defining therein at least one respective longitudinally extending second lumen having a respective longitudinally co-extensive transverse second opening, the second rail element being configured for being mounted to at least one second longitudinal support member in load bearing contact therewith in operation of the second rail element, wherein said second rail element is configured for being mounted to the at least one said second longitudinal support member in a non-longitudinal manner, and wherein second rail element longitudinally extends between said first module longitudinal end and said second module longitudinal end;
d) a second longitudinally extending support element, longitudinally extending between said first module longitudinal end and said second module longitudinal end, the second rail element being mounted to the second longitudinally extending support element;
e) the strip panel element comprising a flexible sheet material having a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge, the first longitudinal edge being transversely spaced from the second longitudinal edge by a second transverse spacing, the first longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge longitudinally extending between a first longitudinal end of the strip panel element and a second longitudinal end of the strip panel element, the first longitudinal edge is configured for being accommodated within the first lumen of said first rail element to enable free relative longitudinal sliding motion therebetween while preventing transverse separation therebetween, the second longitudinal edge is configured for being accommodated within the second lumen of said second rail element to enable free relative longitudinal sliding motion therebetween while preventing transverse separation therebetween;
f) the first bobbin having a first bobbin axis and configured for selectively and alternately retracting and deploying the strip panel element with respect to the first rail element and the second rail element for enabling the strip panel element to respectively uncover and cover the zone;
g) the first longitudinal edge comprises a first plurality of first sliding elements in spaced relationship along said first longitudinal edge, said first plurality of first sliding elements being configured for being accommodated within the first lumen of said first rail element to enable selective relative longitudinal sliding motion between the strip panel element and the first rail while concurrently preventing transverse separation therebetween; and
h) the second longitudinal edge comprises a second plurality of second sliding elements in spaced relationship along said second longitudinal edge, said second plurality of second sliding elements being configured for being accommodated within the second lumen of said second rail element to enable selective relative longitudinal sliding motion between the strip panel element and the second rail while concurrently preventing transverse separation therebetween.