Window Removal Device

Related Applications

The present application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No.

60/656,074 filed February 24, 2005, which is hereby folly incorporated herein by reference.

Background of the Invention

In a vehicular accident, it is frequently necessary to remove one or more windows and/or doors from the damaged vehicle as part of rescue efforts to remove the vehicle's driver and

passengers. Such removal efforts, however, can themselves result in injury, in the event that

shards of glass are sprayed into the vehicle, hitting the vehicle's occupants during rescue.

Accordingly, it would be a significant advance in the art to provide a safe means for removal of a window, particularly for use in emergency services, which minimizes the likelihood of injury to vehicular occupants.

Summary of the Invention

In accordance with the present invention, a device is provided for removal of a window from an existing structure. In a preferred embodiment, the device is provided for removal of a window from a vehicle. Alternatively, the device can be used for removal of another window type, such as the window of a home or an office.

In a preferred embodiment, the invention is particularly suited for use by emergency

and/or law enforcement personnel, hi a further preferred embodiment, the invention is provided

for removal of the window of a vehicle after an accident, to facilitate extraction of the occupants and rapid application of emergency medical assistance.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a window removal device, in

accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the window removal device disclosed herein.

Detailed Description of the Invention and the Preferred Embodiments

In accordance with the present invention, an article of manufacture is provided for

removing the window of an automobile, In accordance with the method of the invention, the

article is particularly suited for use as a rescue device in vehicular accidents. In such uses, the

invention speeds removal of the vehicle's window and access to the vehicle's occupants. At the same time, the design of the device minimizes or eliminates the likelihood of pieces of glass flying into and injuring occupants of the vehicle or rescue workers during window removal

and/or during removal of the vehicle's door.

Further to the invention, a window removal device 18 is provided with a first layer of material 22, as illustrated in Figure 1. Preferably, the first layer of material, or a portion thereof, is transparent, providing the rescue worker(s) with the ability to see the occupant(s) of the vehicle

through the material during the rescue operation, and vice versa preferably providing the

occupant(s) with the ability to see the rescue worker(s). For example, in one preferred

embodiment, the first layer of material 22 is a clear mylar film reinforced with fibers (threads) of fiberglass and/or polyester and/or Kevlar®, such as used in the sailing industry.

In a further additional or alternate embodiment, this layer includes any other suitable fiber

providing additional strength to this layer of material, whether nylon fibers and/or carbon fibers,

or so forth. Further preferably, one or more intersecting grids of fibers can be provided. For

example, a series of horizontal rows of fibers and intersecting vertical rows of fibers forming a

graph paper like grid can be used, and/or a series of diagonals (e.g. at a 45 degree angle) can be

used forming a grid of diamonds. The rows of horizontal fibers can spaced any desired distance

from each other, whether a fixed distance between rows, or a variable distance from row to row,

and likewise for any rows of vertical or diagonal fibers.

If desired, the first layer can itself include multiple sublayers. For example, in one

preferred construction of a film reinforced with fibers, a device can be created using a mylar film

and polyester fiber that are sandwiched together to form the first layer of material. This first layer can be constructed using two rolls of mylar film that are aligned vertically, with a roll of

material having polyester fiber film (known as "scrim" and also being on a roll) being placed

between them. Each inside layer of the mylar film has an adhesive in order to bond the three rolls together into one product. The product is created by unrolling each roll, and pressing the three layers of material together. As the scrim is pulled forward it is measured across the mylar

film material. The first layer of scrim is laid out by the desired number of yarns per inch, which,

in one preferred embodiment, amounts to five yarns per inch in each direction, creating a graph- paper-like series of boxes that measure 1/5 or .2 of an inch square. In a further preferred

embodiment, two layers of fibers are used. In this embodiment, a second layer of scrim is used

to apply polyester fibers diagonally, resulting in a diamond-shaped or crisscross pattern of polyester fibers in the material (in addition to the boxes referred to above). The diagonal scrim

is also known as "X-ply". Preferably, the X-ply is laid out 1/2 or .5 of an inch apart or every 6

degrees off the warp yarn (diagonal about .5-1 inch apart), with the X-ply being placed directly on top of the polyester fiber scrim boxes. After the X-ply is set in place, along with the other

three rolls of materials, the materials (mylar rolls, polyester scrim roll and polyester X-ply roll)

are united by the use of pressure and an adhesive, thus creating the material for the device.

Further preferably, the final thickness of the first layer is approximately 3 mm. However, it will

be understood that the device is not limited to any particular embodiment and that other

materials, configurations, and dimensions, for the layers, fibers, adhesives, and so forth can be

used consistent with the invention.

As an alternative to a transparent (e.g. mylar) layer, an opaque layer can be utilized. For example, in one alternate embodiment, the entire first layer of material 22 is Kevlar®. hi either

embodiment, whether using a transparent or opaque layer, it is preferred that the type and

thickness of material be chosen to avoid a layer which might have the tendency to roll or curl up, making it more difficult to manipulate the sheet and more difficult to attach the sheet to the

window in the method discussed below. It is further preferred that any material used (like the reinforced mylar film) have sufficient strength and resistance to puncture and tearing that glass

shards from the vehicle window will not puncture or tear it during the process of breaking the glass of the window, and removal of glass from the window frame (as further discussed below).

Accordingly, as an alternative to a mylar or Kevlar® layer, any other material having suitable characteristics can be used.

First layer 22 is provided with an adhesive 26 and a backing material 28 applied to the

back surface thereof. Adhesive 26 is of a composition chosen to strongly adhere to glass; or alternatively, to adhere to those window materials contemporarily being used in the art at the time

that the invention is to be utilized. In other words, the adhesive is selected to securely adhere

layer 22 to glass (or such other window material), such that when layer 22 is adhered to the window and force is applied to the layer 22 to break the glass, the glass will nonetheless remain

tightly held onto the adhesive. Thus, when the device is placed in contact with the window and

force is applied, the adhesive will cause layer 22 to adhere to the window material before and

after the window is broken. In one preferred embodiment, the adhesive used is Rohm Haas

MORSTIK 607 acrylic polymer.

Backing 28 is a peel off layer of a material that can easily be removed from adhesive 26. Thus, window removal device 18 includes a first layer of material 22, a second layer of adhesive

26 and a third layer of backing material 28, with the adhesive being sandwiched between the first

layer and the backing, as shown in Figure 1. It should be noted that the dimensions of the embodiment of the figures are not to scale, with the thickness of the layers in Figure 1, for

example, being exaggerated merely for illustration purposes.

Window removal device 18 can be provided in any desired shape, whether circular, rectangular, or so forth. In the preferred embodiment, the material is shaped like a car window,

as shown in Figure 2. Further preferably, the material is shaped for affixation to a vehicle side door window to allow extractions from the side of the vehicle, or is shaped for affixation to the

vehicle's rear window.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, sheet 22 includes a force application

area 30 thereon. Force application area 30 can be an opening extending through one or more layers of the device, e.g. a hole punched all the way through. In an alternate embodiment, all of

the layers of the device are intact, but with the first layer of the device (or a sublayer thereof)

being provided with a reduced thickness in a given region.

This opening or thinned area is utilized to provide no or little cushioning to a blow directed to area 30, causing the force of the blow to be more fully transmitted to the window

behind the device during use, as discussed below. Preferably, force application area is provided in a position away from where the occupant of the vehicle normally sits. For example, the area

can be provided in the corner of the window close to the dashboard, in the case of a driver's side window.

If desired, multiple force application areas can be provided. In this embodiment, the most

suitable area can be chosen at the time of use in view of the positioning of the occupant within

the vehicle at that moment, e.g., whether slumped over the steering wheel or with his or her back

against a seat, or so forth.

Alternatively or additionally to an opening or thinned area, one or more areas can be marked on the window for application offeree thereto. Such area(s) can be designated with a

bulleye, a circle, and/or appropriate text, or so forth. The marked area and/or force application

area can be provided at any location or locations desired, whether in one or more corners of the device, in the center of the device, along an edge of the device, on the right side, left side, top or

bottom of the device, or so forth.

In accordance with the method of the invention, device 18 is utilized for breakage and

removal of a window from an existing structure. In the preferred embodiment, for example,

device 18 is a rescue tool used at the scene of a vehicular accident. To use the device, the rescue worker (or other user) removes backing material 28 from the device, exposing adhesive 26 on the back surface.

Preferably, tabs 32 are attached to the backing material 28, so as to facilitate removal of

the backing material. Two tabs 32, for example, are shown on the top side of the device 18, and

extending off of the device, as shown in Figure 2. In an alternate and preferred embodiment, the tabs 32 are attached to and/or extend off of, the two bottom corners. It will be understood,

however, that as many tabs as desired can be utilized, that they can be of any size suitable for a user to comfortably grasp to remove the backing material 28, and that they can be placed on any one or more sides of the device 18.

Once the adhesive 26 is exposed, the back surface is then placed against and onto the

window of the vehicle in the accident, to adhere the device 18 to the window to be removed.

Upon adhesion of the sheet to the window, a strong blow is directed against the sheet of material,

whether with a heavy object or a suitable tool (e.g. a spring loaded device used for breaking windows such as a center punch), or so forth, hi the embodiment utilizing a force application

area 30 as described above, this blow is directed at such area 30. The force of the blow is used

to intentionally break the glass of the window that the sheet is adhered to. In the case of a

vehicle, this window glass is often "safety glass" designed to shatter into small pieces upon

impact.

Once the glass has been broken, device 18 is pulled backward to remove the broken glass

adhered thereto out of the window frame. Due to the fact that the glass is adhered to the back of the device as discussed above, the glass of the window remains essentially in place when the

window is broken, and does not shatter or spray upon the vehicle's occupants. The device is particularly effective when used with the safety glass commonly provided in vehicle side windows.

In a preferred embodiment, window removal device 18 can be further provided with handles 34 to facilitate the pulling back of the sheet and removal of the broken glass from the window frame. Handles 34 are preferably constructed of a suitable material having a light weight

and flexibility, to allow folding up of the handles and the device when not in use.

The device, therefore, provides a means for rapidly removing the window of a vehicle or

other structure, while minimizing injury from the shattering of glass onto the structure's occupants. The device is further lightweight, and compact, and able to be folded into a small

package for storage on an emergency services vehicle. Preferably, the device is also disposable,

i.e., the device can be wrapped up upon itself with the glass shards inside after the window is

broken, to allow discarding of the device with safe removal and disposal of the glass contained therein.

Having described this invention with regard to specific embodiments, it is to be

understood that the description is not meant as a limitation since further embodiments,

modifications and variations may be apparent or may suggest themselves to those skilled in the

art. It is intended that the present application cover all such embodiments, modifications and variations.