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  Portable safety barrierUSPTO Application #: 20070176158Title: Portable safety barrier Abstract: A portable safety barrier that can be set up across a drive way or other path to provide a visible and physical indication of a safe zone boundary particularly for children. Netting attached to a core or reel disposed in a housing forms the barrier. The netting is free to deploy from the housing for attachment to a remote post; both the housing and post including an auger for anchoring the housing and post to ground. The housing has a rewind system to reel in the netting which includes a gear train for mechanical advantage. The rewind system operates manually and with out a bias assist. A selectively operated stop cooperates with the rewind system to tighten the netting after deployment and keeps the netting taut. (end of abstract)
Agent: Stephen B. Salai, Esq. Harter, Secrest & Emery LLP - Rochester, NY, US Inventor: Jeffery A. Robinson USPTO Applicaton #: 20070176158 - Class: 256012500 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Fences, Driftage Control The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070176158. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] Not applicable. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not applicable. REFERENCE TO A "SEQUENCE LISTING" [0003] Not applicable. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] 1. Field of the Invention [0005] The present invention relates generally to a barrier as may be set up as a temporary boundary to discourage movement into or out of a restricted or dangerous area. More particularly, the invention relates to a portable apparatus used to set a barrier that works to identify the boundary of a safe zone, particularly for children, and to discourage passage into or out of the zone. [0006] 2. Description of Related Art [0007] Children at play are often oblivious to dangers inherent in spontaneous activity. For example, children often are apt to pursue a ball, toy or pet and not recognize that the pursuit is leading to an unsafe area. For this reason, various types of apparatus are available to set temporary barriers to at least discourage a child from venturing out of a safe play area. Such apparatus can be used to establish a temporary barrier across a driveway or other path to discourage children from venturing out of a safe area or to provide a visible indication of the limits of a safe play area. When placed across a driveway, the barrier will warn vehicles not to enter. In the case of small children, the barrier can be set up in a park or back yard setting to confine the child to a safe area. [0008] A barrier of this type generally is readily portable and is easy to set up. A typical portable apparatus of this type includes net that is deployed to establish a physical barrier so to prevent the passage of a young child. In the case of older children, the deployed net provides a visual reference as to the limit of the safe or permitted area and acts to warn the child that the allowed limit of travel in a given direction has been reached. [0009] Portable safety barriers of this type most commonly employ a net that is extended between and supported by upright posts. The posts either are driven into the ground or have weighted feet to keep them upright. In some cases the net simply is wound onto one or both of the posts and is unwound to stretch it into a barrier position. [0010] In another version, the net disposed on a reel element that is journaled within one of the posts for compact storage. As the net is extended from the reel, the reel rotates against a bias. Once extended, a second post is firmly rooted to ground. The bias applies a rewind force to the reel that keeps the extended net taut between the posts and provides a rewinding assist. [0011] A draw back of this arrangement is that the rewind bias increases in direct proportion to the length of net that is extended so the rewind force is at its maximum at the full extension of the net. In a conventional application this length can be fifteen feet or more. Accordingly, once the second post is uprooted, the net must be held in a firm grip so as not to lose control during rewinding. Otherwise, if the net and post are left free to move, the bias can rewind the net with such force that damage to person or property can result. [0012] Accordingly, there is a need for an improved portable safety barrier apparatus that has its supply of barrier netting stored in a compact manner, is easily set up, maintains the net barrier taut when extended to a barrier position and is easily taken down and stored. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013] The portable safety barrier apparatus of the present invention includes a length of netting for forming a temporary barrier. The apparatus includes a frame or housing with a core journaled to the frame. This forms a first or main post. One end of the net is fixed to the core and the core forms a reel on which the net is wound for storage. [0014] To deploy the net, the main post is placed upright and anchored to ground. The free end of the net is gripped and pulled to unwind a length from the core. The core is unbiased so there is no rewind force resisting the unwinding of the net and its extension from the housing. When the desired length of net is deployed, the free end is attached to a remote post also anchored to ground. [0015] The frame includes a manually operated rewind system both to apply tension to the net so it establishes a taut barrier when deployed and to rewind the net after use. The rewind system includes a gear train that provides a mechanical advantage to facilitate the manual rewinding of the net onto the core. The system also includes a one-way stop that is selectively engaged after the net is deployed to prevent the further extension of the net from the core. After the stop is engaged, operation of the rewind system causes the net to tighten between the remote post and the frame. The stop is released to allow easier rewinding of the net back to a stored position on the core. [0016] Accordingly, the portable safety barrier may be characterized in one aspect thereof by [0017] a) a frame disposable in an upright position; [0018] b) a net reel rotatably mounted to the frame; [0019] c) an elongated net wound on the net reel, the net having one end fixed to the net reel and an opposite end; Continue reading... Full patent description for Portable safety barrier Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Portable safety barrier patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Portable safety barrier or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Materials handling technology Next Patent Application: Bollard assembly Industry Class: Fences ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Portable safety barrier patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 1.56259 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Electronics: Semiconductor , Audio , Illumination , Connectors , Crypto , |
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