TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a safety apparatus for vehicles; and more specifically, to an emergency window breaking apparatus to be operated by vehicle users.

BACKGROUND

Vehicles use usually tempered safety glass in windows. The safety glass does not easily break. For example, the safety glass can be tempered glass, toughened glass, laminated glass, and wire mesh glass. Basic function of the glass is to protect the people in the vehicle or car (train, tram) and/or buildings against outside weather (hot, cold, wind, rain, snow, insects, dust etc.) and still allow the passengers, drivers, and people free visibility through the windows. Further, glass makes unwanted entry impossible without breaking the glass.

There may be emergency situations when passengers get stuck in a vehicle. For example, in case of a fire in the vehicle, the vehicle rolling over, the vehicle entering in deep waters, or driving off the road to a ditch. In such emergency situations, the passengers need to get out of the vehicle as soon as possible. Often, the only way to come out of the vehicle quickly is through an emergency exit by breaking the nearest window. However, the safety glass is extremely difficult to break without proper means. Accordingly, vehicles should have hammers for breaking the windows installed near windows. Passengers may dislodge the hammers in emergency situations and strike the hammer against the window glass to break it. However, these hammers may be maliciously or inadvertently dislodged, lost or stolen. For example, children in a vehicle may dislodge the hammers or a passenger may take it as a souvenir, in other words steal it. Further, the hammers are difficult to use, or may be difficult to locate (hidden behind curtains). Further, hammers may be attached to its holder with a line, steel wire, or a seal to prevent misuse and stealing the hammer. It is difficult remove the hammer from its holder and thus to use the hammer in the first place. This may lead to panic situation for the users and casualties when they urgently need to get out of the vehicle. In winter if you wear gloves or mittens, it is impossible to grab a hammer from its holder in a case of emergency.

Therefore, in light of the foregoing discussion, there exists a need to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

SUMMARY The present disclosure seeks to provide an apparatus for breaking a window in case of an emergency. Additionally, the present disclosure seeks to provide an apparatus that can be quickly reconfigured to break any type of window. A further object of the present disclosure is to provide an apparatus for breaking a window that can be easily and safely installed on windows in vehicles. Moreover, the present disclosure seeks to provide an apparatus that enables any user to easily break a window regardless of age, physical condition or technical knowledge.

Accordingly, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus for breaking a window in case of an emergency. The apparatus comprises a body, a breaking means and a handle. The body is attachable to the window. The body can be alternatively attached to other parts of a vehicle such as in a frame of the window of the vehicle or body of the vehicle. The breaking means has a first end and a second end. Further, the breaking means is releasably attached to the handle at a second point between its second end and the middle. The handle has a first end and a second end, such that the handle is pivotally connected to the body at a hinge point between the first end and a middle of the handle between the first end and the second end. Further, the handle comprises attachment means for releasably attaching the breaking means to the handle. Moreover, the position of the hinge point is arranged to cause the breaking means to detach from the handle when the handle is pulled more than a predetermined amount. Additional aspects, advantages, features and objects of the present disclosure would be made apparent from the drawings and the detailed description of the illustrative embodiments construed in conjunction with the appended claims that follow.

It will be appreciated that features of the present disclosure are susceptible to being combined in various combinations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The summary above, as well as the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the present disclosure, exemplary constructions of the disclosure are shown in the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed herein. Moreover, those in the art will understand that the drawings are not to scale. Wherever possible, elements have been indicated by identical numbers. Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams wherein

FIG. 1 is a front view of an apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side view an apparatus according to an embodiment, at a rest position.

FIG. 3 is a side view an apparatus according to an embodiment, in a first use position.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an apparatus according to an embodiment in a second use position. FIG. 5 is a side view of an apparatus according to an embodiment in the second use position.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an apparatus according an embodiment.

FIG. 7 A to 7E illustrate a further embodiment of an apparatus.

FIG. 8A to 8E illustrate a yet further embodiment of an apparatus. In the accompanying drawings, a non-underlined number relates to an item identified by a line linking the non-underlined number to the item. When a number is non-underlined and accompanied by an associated arrow, the non-underlined number is used to identify a general item at which the arrow is pointing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description illustrates embodiments of the present disclosure and ways in which they can be implemented. Although some modes of carrying out the present disclosure have been disclosed, those skilled in the art would recognize that other embodiments for carrying out or practicing the present disclosure are also possible.

In one aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure is an apparatus for breaking a window in case of an emergency. The apparatus comprises a body, a breaking means and a handle. The body is in primary case attached to the window, but also other attachment places may apply. The breaking means has a first end and a second end. Further, the breaking means is releasably attached to the handle at a second point between its second end and the middle between the first end and the second end. The handle has a first end and a second end, such that the handle is pivotally connected to the body at a hinge point between the first end and a middle of the handle between the first end and the second end. Further, the handle comprises attachment means for releasably attaching the breaking means to the handle. Moreover, the position of the hinge point on the body is arranged to cause the breaking means to detach from the handle when the handle is pulled more than a predetermined amount. In a preferred embodiment, the handle is longer than the breaking means, such that the breaking means detaches from the handle when the handle is pulled more than a predetermined amount. Embodiments of the present disclosure thus substantially eliminate or at least partially address the aforementioned problems in the prior art, and enable users to break windows in case of emergencies. The apparatus may be attached to a window so that it cannot be neither stolen nor lost. Further, the apparatus may be easily adopted for various types of window glasses. Any user including the elderly and the children may easily break a window using the apparatus. The apparatus enables users to quickly break the window, exit, and reach a safe location in case of emergency. For instance, the window may be a part of a vehicle, for example, but not limited to a car, a truck, a bus, a vessel, a train, or a building. Further, the emergency may relate to any situation that poses threat to the passengers or people of the vehicle or building, for example, but not limited to the vehicle catching fire, the vehicle rolling over, the vehicle doors and windows getting jammed, the vehicle encountering an accident, driving into a ditch, and the vehicle moving into deep waters. Further, the window may be a part of a building, for example, but not limited to a home, an office building, a temporary building and a defence installation. The emergency may relate to any situation that poses threat to the people within the building, for example, but not limited to the building catching fire, have toxic gas leakage, and a building experiencing an earthquake.

The present apparatus for breaking a window is easily reconfigurable, i.e. designable, to suit a particular type of window material. For example, typically the force required to break a window is known, and hence the apparatus can be designed such way that by its structure, it gives the required force when operated. The structure encompasses here the dimensions, materials and additional elements of the apparatus, and when a spring is used as the breaking means or the breaking means comprises the spring, the strength of the spring (or spring constant).

The body of the apparatus can be quickly glued to a window for making any window with tempered safety glass an emergency window. The body can be also attached by any other means to the window, such as by screws, nuts and bolts, or any adhesive bonding material. According to an embodiment, the predetermined amount of pulling the handle corresponds to handle rotating at least 30 degrees in relation to the body. The angle of rotation may be for example 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115 or 120 degrees also less or more. The angle of rotation may also be smaller than 30 degree, such as 20, 10 or 5 degrees. The angle of rotation is the angle between the body (which is typically parallel to the window surface) and the handle when it is pulled.

According to an embodiment, the breaking means is arranged to store energy when the handle is pulled. For example, the breaking means may be a cantilever spring or torsion spring that stores energy when the handle is pulled. When the spring is released, the stored energy in the spring is transformed in to a kinetic energy of the weight moving towards the window with a sufficient energy to break the window.

The breaking means may be selected to have sufficient spring constant to break the window when in use. The spring constant of the breaking means may be selected based on multiple parameters, such as, but not limited to the strength of the window glass, the distance between the breaking means and the window when the breaking means detaches from the handle and the weight of the breaking means, speed of the breaking means hitting the glass and/or the kinetic energy stored in the breaking means when released for impact. The spring constant (k) of a rectangular cantilever spring may be calculated using Equation 1 below. k = (E * w * ί ^Λ 3) / (4 * Ι_ ^Λ 3) (Equation 1) where,

E: Young's modulus t: thickness w: width L: length

The spring constant k of a torsion spring may be calculated using Equation 2 below: k= T/t (Equation 2) where,

T is the torque exerted by the spring in newton-meters, t is the angle of twist from its equilibrium position in radians.

In an embodiment, the breaking means may further include a breaking tip. The breaking tip may also include a pointed tip that strikes the window first when the breaking means detaches from the handle. The breaking tip may be a weight attached to the breaking means. For example, the breaking tip may be screwed, welded, glued, and/or fitted by any other means to the breaking means. The weight of the breaking tip may be selected based on multiple parameters, such as, but not limited to the strength of the window glass, the distance between the breaking tip and the window when the cantilever spring detaches from the handle and the spring constant of the breaking means. Accordingly, the same body, hinge, breaking means may be used with same or different breaking tips to break different types of windows.

In another embodiment, the breaking tip may be an integral part of the breaking means. For example, the breaking tip may be permanently welded or glued or otherwise attached to the breaking means. In a yet further embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a breaking tip attachable in connection with the window, and the breaking means comprises a weight, the weight being arranged to hit the breaking tip. In this embodiment, the weight thus functions as a hammer that hits the breaking tip. The breaking tip may be attached to the window by glue or similar.

According to an embodiment, the attachment means is arranged substantially at the second end of the handle and the second point at which the breaking means is releasably attached to the handle is at the second end of the breaking means.

In addition, one or both of the body and the handle may include an opening to allow the breaking means to hit the window. In other instances, such opening may not be needed, as the window is of such type that impact energy is transferred via a separate breaking tip or the body is shorter than the spring.

According to an embodiment, the body comprises a hinge, and the handle is attached to the body via the hinge at the hinge point. Preferably, the hinge is arranged at substantially one end of the body and the breaking means and handle are attached to the hinge at their first ends. Indeed, such configuration typically gives the apparatus a maximum of strength for breaking the window. According to another embodiment, the handle is longer than the breaking means, thus making it easier for the use to pull the handle, while giving more strength to the breaking means, typically when the breaking means comprises a spring. Further, in an embodiment, the attachment means is a slot arranged on the handle. The slot includes an open end such that the second end of the breaking means moves inside the slot via the open end. The slot releasably attaches the breaking means to the handle. The width of the opening at the open end of the slot is more than the thickness of the breaking means, such that the breaking means may move inside the slot via the open end. Further, the depth of the opening is more than the length of a portion of the breaking means, which may move inside the slot when the handle is at rest position (in other words, when the handle is not being pulled by a user).

Further, in an embodiment, the breaking means may be arranged to be in contact with a guiding point, which may be fixed to the body near the hinge. As a user pulls the handle to move it away from the body, the end of the breaking means in the slot moves towards the open end of the slot due to the guiding point. When the handle is pulled more than the predetermined amount, the breaking means pull outs of the slot. The guiding point is fixed to the body, therefore, the distance between the guiding point and the handle increases as the handle is pulled away from the body. In other words, the breaking means is arranged to be in contact with the guiding point in such a way that the guiding point pulls the breaking means thereby pulling it eventually out of the slot.

In a yet further embodiment, the breaking means is, when in use, in connection to the body at a first point between its first end and a middle between the first end and the second end. The breaking means may be for example attached also to the hinge mentioned above, behind, in front or it may be attached to the body by another way. According to one embodiment, the breaking means is in pivotal connection with the body at a point that is close to the hinge point. According to another embodiment, the breaking means is in connection (i.e. attached either directly or indirectly) to the body in a flexible manner, provided that the connection flexes less than the handle is moved, in order to force the breaking means to detach from the handle. In a further embodiment, a method of breaking the window using the window-breaking device is disclosed. The method includes a user in an emergency situation pulling a handle away from the body. When the handle is moved away for the predetermined amount, the breaking means automatically releases from a slot in the handle. Upon the release, the breaking means moves towards the window with an increased speed and hits the window to break it.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a front view of an apparatus 100 for breaking a window 150 in case of an emergency in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The apparatus 100 a handle 104 and a hinge 102.

Figure 2 is a side view an apparatus 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, at a rest position and Figure 3 illustrates the same apparatus 100, in a first use position. The apparatus 100 comprises a body 106, a breaking means 110 and a handle 104. The body 106 is arranged to be attached to the window 150 and includes a hinge 102. Further, the breaking means, in this embodiment a cantilever spring, has a first end 110a and a second end 110b, such that the breaking means is attached to the hinge 102 at a first point between its first end and a middle between the first end and the second end, in this case practically at the first end 110a.

The handle 104 also has a first end 104a and a second end 104b, such that the handle 104 is pivotally connected to the body 106 via the hinge 102 at a first point between the first end 104a and a middle of the handle 104 between the first end 104a and the second end 104b, in this case practically at the first end 104a. In other words, the hinge 102 allows for pivoting the handle 104 in respect to the body 106. The handle 104 has also an attachment means for releasably attaching the breaking means to the handle 104. The attachment means is, in this embodiment, arranged substantially at the second end 104b of the handle 104 and the second point at which the breaking means is releasably attached to the handle 104 is at the second end of the breaking means. The attachment means is in the form of a slot in the handle, into which the second end 110b of the breaking means releasably fits. The breaking means is arranged to store energy when the handle 104 is pulled. As can be seen in the upper enlargement of Figure 3, the breaking means (cantilever spring) gradually moves such that it will be released from the slot 114. The following Figures will illustrate this movement further.

Further, in this embodiment, the cantilever spring 110 is arranged to be in contact with a guiding point 103 as is illustrated in more detail in the lower enlargement of Figure 3. The cantilever spring 110 also has a breaking tip 112. The breaking tip 112 is, in this embodiment, an additional weight attached to the cantilever spring 110. Further, the body 106 has an opening 108 to allow the breaking tip 112 to hit the window 150. The breaking tip 112 has a pointed end that strikes the window 150 when a user pulls the handle 104 more than a predetermined amount.

Figure 4 is a side view of the apparatus 100 in a second use position. The second use position is a situation when the handle 104 is moved from the rest position shown in Figure 2 above, and further than the first use position shown in Figure 3. Specifically, the handle 104 has been moved away from the body 106 by a user in a direction shown by the arrow. As the user moves the handle 104 away from the body 106, the cantilever spring 110 starts storing energy.

The slot 114 in the handle 104 and the cantilever spring 110 are shown in the upper enlargement, and the cantilever spring 110 in contact with the hinge 102 and the guiding point 103 is shown in the lower enlargement. Indeed, as the user pulls the handle 104 to move it away from the body 106, the end of the cantilever spring 110 in the slot 114 moves towards the open end of the slot 114 due to the guiding point 103. When the handle 104 is pulled more than the predetermined amount, the cantilever spring 110 pulls out of the slot 114 as shown. The guiding point 103 is fixed to the body 106, therefore the distance between the guiding point 103 and the handle 104 increases as the handle 104 is pulled away from the body 106. The cantilever spring 110 is arranged to be in contact with the guiding point 103 in such a way that the guiding point 103 pulls the cantilever spring 110, thereby pulling it eventually out of the slot 114.

Figure 5 is a side view of the apparatus 100 in the second use position. This Figure relates to the situation when the handle 104 has been pulled further from the second configuration shown in Figure 2, and the cantilever spring 110 has been released (its previous positions are shown in dashed lines). The cantilever spring 110 returned to its original position and hit the glass 105. Indeed, the stored energy has caused rapid movement of the breaking tip 112 towards the window 150. As the breaking tip 112 hit the window 150 the kinetic energy of the breaking tip 112 caused the window 150 to break. Figure 6 is a perspective view of an apparatus according an embodiment of the present disclosure, illustrating one possibility of the various dimensions of the apparatus.

Figures 7A to 7E illustrate a further embodiment of an apparatus. In this embodiment, the handle 104 is attached to the body 106 via a first hinge means 701 and the breaking means 110 is attached to the body 106 via a second hinge means 702. The first hinge means 701 and the second hinge means 702 are arranged next to one another at the first ends of the handle and the breaking means. In Figure 7A, the apparatus is in its rest position, i.e. not in use. In Figures 7B and 7C, the handle 104 is being pulled away from the window and the breaking means 110 gradually releases from the handle, at its second end. In Figure 7D, the breaking means has been released and in Figure 7E, it has hit the window.

Figures 8A to 8E illustrate a yet further embodiment of an apparatus. In this embodiment, the handle 104 and the breaking means 110 are attached to the body 106 via a hinge means 801. The breaking means 110 is made of a material (such as a metallic wire) that bends around the hinge means 801 when the handle is pulled (as shown in Figure 8C). This bending shortens the breaking means 110 such that it is released from the handle.

Modifications to embodiments of the present disclosure described in the foregoing are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the accompanying claims. Expressions such as "including", "comprising", "incorporating", "have", "is" used to describe and claim the present disclosure are intended to be construed in a non-exclusive manner, namely allowing for items, components or elements not explicitly described also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed to relate to the plural.