The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 18, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 23, 1998
Hans Schultz, Arlington Heights, IL (US);
SPS Corporation, San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a new and inexpensive ventilating system for greenhouses using rigid plastic, glazing panels that are thin, lightweight, and quite long. This is achieved by bending outer ends of the glazing panels and lifting to create vent openings. This method takes advantage of the inherent flexibility of these glazing panels to bend them to shift between open and closed positions without the use of a conventional, separate hinged, framework section. Particularly, in accordance with the present invention, an actuator is connected to a flexible bendable portion of the elongated, rigid glazing panel and the actuator lifts and bends an end portion of the panel, which has an inherent flexibility unlike glass or thin films and which has a memory and an elasticity, such that the panel wants to return to its normal unflexed position, which is the closed position, in the preferred embodiment of the invention.