FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to security barriers.. In particular, although not exclusively, the invention relates to adjustable security barriers.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Security doors and screens are often made to measure as houses rarely have perfect, standard sized door/window frames. This results in the door window frames having to be measured on site and the security doors and screens later being manufactured in a factory according to the measurements.

A disadvantage of the factory produced screens mentioned above is that, as the doors are being made to order, the manufacturing process is complex and manufacturing costs are generally high. The manufacturing process is considerably slower than an assembly line process. Additionally, the process is time consuming as the door frame, for example, must first be measured on site, the door manufactured off site, then later installed.

Doors and screens are typically not manufactured on site as bulky machinery is required for manufacturing. Manufacture of security doors and screens, for example, is not well suited to the do-it-yourself market, as the correct tools required are very expensive and not typically available to regular do-it-yourself consumers. Additionally, the manufacturing process is complex and often requires angled joints of high precision, which often cannot be reliably achieved by a do-it-yourself consumer.

The prior art includes security barriers that attempt to avoid some of the disadvantages mentioned above. For example, the prior art includes adjustable security screen doors that use adjustable side and top stiles and are targeted to the do-it-yourself consumer. These security doors comprise a frame and grille/screen that is factory manufactured and a vertical and a horizontal stile that enables adjustment. The vertical and horizontal stiles are attached by the DIY person to the frame of the security door on site using rivets and are used to cover small gaps between the security door and a door frame. Such prior art doors can fit door frames having widths generally between 812-828mm and heights between 2030-2044mm.

A disadvantage of the above described adjustable prior art doors is that the amount of adjustment is small, generally having a maximum of 8- 16mm. This is at least partly due to the fact that the stiles are decorative and attached to the frame of the door. Additionally, as the stiles are attached to the frame of the door, they are clearly visible, which negatively affects the visual appearance of the door as the frame is not made of a single piece. Another disadvantage is that the security door grill is situated off centre to the door frame.

There is therefore a need to overcome or alleviate many of the above discussed problems associated with security barriers of the prior art. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to overcome or alleviate one or more limitations of the prior art including providing improved security barriers and to reduce installation costs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect, the present invention resides in a system for providing a security barrier, comprising:

a first side including a channel;

a second side including a collar;

a connector having a first end and a second end, said first end comprising a clamp connected to said collar of said second side, and said second end comprising a wedging means positioned inside said channel of said first side;

wherein said first side and said second side are connected together to define an assembled corner of said security barrier.

Preferably, an axis of said channel of said first side and an axis of said collar of said second side are substantially perpendicular.

Preferably, said first side and said second side both comprise extruded material.

Preferably, said first side and said second side both comprise an inner lip and an outer lip;

Preferably, said inner lip includes internal support means for supporting an inner barrier panel.

Preferably, said wedging means comprises a u-shaped wedging plate have a first end and a second end, both first and second ends for insertion into said channel of said first side.

Preferably, said first end and said second end of said wedging plate both have serrated edges.

Preferably, an end of said first side is cut approximately perpendicular to said axis of said channel of said first side and an end of said second side is cut approximately perpendicular to said axis of said collar of said second side.

Preferably, said first side and said second side both include a channel and a collar.

Preferably, a cross section of said first side and a cross section of said second side are substantially identical.

According to another aspect, the present invention resides in a security barrier, comprising:

an outer frame including four corners, each corner of said four corners comprising:

a first side including a channel, an inner lip and an outer lip;

a second side including a collar, an inner lip and an outer lip; a connector having a first end and a second end, said first end comprising a clamp connected to said collar of said second side, and said second end comprising a wedging means positioned inside said channel of said first side; and

an inner barrier panel positioned between said inner lip and said outer lip of said first side and between said inner lip and said outer lip of said second side;

According to yet another aspect, the present invention resides in a method of providing a security barrier comprising:

cutting a first side of an outer frame, wherein said first side includes a channel, and said cutting is performed at an angle approximately perpendicular to an axis of said channel;

cutting a second side of said outer frame, wherein said second side includes a collar, and said cutting is made at an angle approximately perpendicular to an axis of said collar;

connecting said first side to said second side using a connector comprising a wedging means and a clamp, said connecting comprising wedging said wedging means into said channel of said first side and attaching said clamp to said collar of said second side; and

inserting an inner barrier panel between an inner lip and an outer lip of said first side and said second side.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To assist in understanding the invention and to enable a person skilled in the art to put the invention into practical effect, preferred embodiments of the invention are described below by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1a shows a side view of a connection means for connecting a first side and a second side according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1b shows a front view of the connection means of FIG. 1 ; FIG. 2 shows a front view of the connection means of FIG. 1 connecting a first side and a second side according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3a shows a cross section of the second side with an attached inner screen according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3b shows a front view of the second side with an attached inner screen of FIG. 3a;

FIG. 4 shows an exploded front view of a security barrier according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram of a method of providing a security barrier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that minor deviations from the layout of components as illustrated in the drawings will not detract from the proper functioning of the disclosed embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention comprise an adjustable security door. Elements of the invention are illustrated in concise outline form in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are necessary to the understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, but so as not to clutter the disclosure with excessive detail that will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the present description.

In this patent specification, adjectives such as first and second, left and right, front and back, top and bottom, etc., are used solely to define one element or method step from another element or method step without necessarily requiring a specific relative position or sequence that is described by the adjectives. Words such as "comprises" or "includes" are not used to define an exclusive set of elements or method steps. Rather, such words merely define a minimum set of elements or method steps included in a particular embodiment of the present invention. . FIG. 1a shows a side view and FIG. 1b shows a front view of a connection means 100 for connecting a first side 105 and a second side 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The first side 105 and the second side 110 have a continuous cross section comprising collars 115 and channels 120.

The connection means 100 comprises a wedging means in the form of a u-shaped wedging plate 125 and a clamp 30. The clamp 130 is attached to a bottom portion of the u-shaped wedging plate 125 using a bolt 135. The u-shaped wedging plate 125 fits into the channel 120 of the first side 105 and the clamp 130 fits onto the collars 115 of the second side 110.

The u-shaped wedging plate 125 has advantageously serrated edges such that, when attached to the first side 105, a compression fit prevents the wedging plate 125 from being easily removed from the channel 120 of the first side 105.

As is understood by a person skilled in the art, a wedging means may include various shapes and includes all shapes that are capable of being pressed into the channel 120.

The first side 105 and the second side 110 are shown and described as having the same cross section and including both collars 115 and channels 120. As is understood by a person skilled in the art, only the first side 105 need have a channel 120, and only the second side 110 need have collars 115.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the connection means 100 connecting the first side 105 and the second side 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Additionally an inner barrier panel in the form of an inner screen 205 is shown.

FIG. 3a shows a cross section of the second side 110 with an attached inner screen 205, and FIG. 3b shows a front view of the same according to an embodiment of the present invention. The second side 110 also comprises support members 305 for supporting the inner screen 205 and a cross member 310 for both stopping the inner screen 205 from entering the channel 120 and providing rigidifying support to the second side 110. The exact position of the inner screen 205 is adjustable, and may be positioned anywhere between the cross member 310 and the collars 115.

The inner screen 205 is positioned between an inner lip 315 and an outer lip 320 of the second side 110. The inner screen 205 may be held in place by the support members 305. Alternatively or additionally, rivets, screws or other attachment means may be used to attach the inner screen 205 to the second side 110.

FIG. 4 shows an exploded front view of a security barrier 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The security barrier 400 comprises an outer frame comprising four corners 415a, 415b, 415c and 415d, and four interconnected sides 405a, 405b, 405c and 405d. Each of the four corners 415a, 415b, 415c and 415d comprises a first side and a second side. The sides 405a and 405c correspond to the first side 105 of FIGS 1-3 and the sides 405b and 405d correspond to the second side 110 of FIGS 1-3. The security barrier 400 further comprises hinges 410 such that the security barrier 400 may be opened and closed once installed.

FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram of a method 500 of providing a security barrier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

At step 505, a first side of an outer frame of the security barrier is cut. The first side includes a channel, and the cutting is performed at an angle approximately perpendicular to an axis of the channel.

At step 510, a second side of the outer frame is cut. The second side includes a collar, and the cutting is made at an angle approximately perpendicular to an axis of the collar.

At step 515, the first side is connected to the said second side using a connector. The connector comprises a wedging means and a clamp. The wedging means is wedged into the channel of the first side and the clamp is attached to the collar of the second side. At step 520, an inner barrier panel is inserted between an inner lip and an outer lip of the first side and the second side.

As is understood by a person skilled in the art, more than one inner screen may be fitted to a security barrier. Similarly, an inner screen 205 may include a security screen, an insect screen or another type of screen or surface including glass or Perspex.

In summary, advantages of some embodiments of the present invention include reduced manufacturing costs, reduced installation costs, simpler installation, and a simpler look and neat design.

The above description of various embodiments of the present invention is provided for purposes of description to one of ordinary skill in the related art. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to a single disclosed embodiment. As mentioned above, numerous alternatives and variations to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art of the above teaching. Accordingly, while some alternative embodiments have been discussed specifically, other embodiments will be apparent or relatively easily developed by those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, this patent specification is intended to embrace all alternatives, modifications and variations of the present invention that have been discussed herein, and other embodiments that fall within the spirit and scope of the above described invention.