Portable privacy panels
A portable privacy panel for closing a portion of an existing open enclosure. The panel comprises a non-transparent material having a perimeter that defines an area equal to the portion of the open enclosure that is desired to be closed; a plurality of attachment locations about the perimeter; and a plurality of eyelets, each of which is located at an attachment location and defines an aperture through which the panel is secured to the enclosure in a desired location.
The present invention relates to a convenient transportable means for establishing privacy. More particularly, the present invention relates to privacy panels that may be used individually or in combinations to establish privacy for a portion of an open enclosure.
BACKGROUNDFor a variety of reasons, available open real estate continues to become increasingly scarce. As a result, buildings are being constructed on smaller parcels of land and in closer proximity to one another than ever before. This trend is today's suburban neighborhoods. Whereas owning a single home in the suburbs once meant substantial separation and privacy from one's neighbors, today's suburban homes are being erected literally just yards from one another. As a result, the privacy once enjoyed by suburbanites is quickly becoming an anomaly.
Common approaches to offsetting this loss of personal privacy include erecting fences and utilizing landscaping techniques. Although helpful, such approaches are often ineffective. First, because the close proximity of neighboring homes and/or buildings is such that the gain in privacy is marginal at best. Secondly, even if substantial privacy gains were attainable, the initial expense and cost of continued maintenance associated with such approaches are very high and often difficult to justify. Finally, these approaches may vary the very property use they are intended to protect.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have an easily assembled, readily transportable means of establishing privacy in at least a desired area.
SUMMARYThe present invention concerns portable panels for establishing privacy in at least a portion of an existing open enclosure. The panel comprises a non-transparent material having a perimeter that defines an area equal to a portion of the open enclosure that is desired to be closed; a plurality of attachment locations about its perimeter; and a plurality of eyelets, each of which is located at an attachment location and defines an aperture through which the panel is secured to the enclosure in a desired location.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)
To illustrate one example of an application of the present invention,
The privacy panels 130 are mounted on the safety fence 120 on a portion of the fence exposed to view. Preferably, air gaps 140 remain above and below the attached panels to allow air to flow freely through the top and bottom of the safety fence. As a result, air will not get trapped in the panels, the safety fence will not experience undue stress, and a user of the pool will enjoy air movement. The remaining sections of the fence 120 are not covered since they are away from view.
Each privacy panel 130 in
Referring now to
The panel material 220 illustrated in
For certain applications, such as where there are no vertical attachment points on an open enclosure, the embodiment described in
Referring now to
In each case of the embodiments shown in
Claims
1. A panel for closing a portion of an existing open enclosure, the panel comprising:
- a non-transparent material having a predetermined perimeter that defines an area equal to a portion of an open enclosure that is desired to be closed and a plurality of attachment locations defined about the perimeter; and
- a plurality of eyelets, each of which is located at an attachment location, that define apertures through which the material is secured to the enclosure in a desired location.
2. The panel of claim 1 wherein a portion of the panel is folded back into itself to form a hemmed edge about the perimeter.
3. The panel of claim 1 wherein the material is sheet plastic
4. The panel of claim 1 wherein the material is a textile fabric.
5. The panel of claim 1 wherein the material is a woven textile fabric.
6. The panel of claim 1 wherein the material is a woven polyester textile fabric.
7. The panel of claim 1 wherein each eyelet is comprised of a metallic material.
8. The panel of claim 1 wherein each eyelet is comprised of a plastic material.
9. The combination of an open structure and a privacy panel, the combination comprising: an open structure having at least top, bottom and side components that form at least a partial enclosure about an area where privacy is desired and define a first predetermined area; and
- a privacy panel of non-transparent material having a second predetermined area that is no greater than the first predetermined area and a plurality of attachment locations at which it is secured to at least two components of the open structure.
10. The combination of claim 9 wherein the first and second predetermined areas are equal.
11. The combination of claim 9 wherein the second predetermined area is less than the first predetermined area.
12. The combination of claim 9 wherein the privacy panel has a predetermined perimeter.
13. The combination of claim 12 wherein the predetermined perimeter includes a hemmed portion.
14. The combination of claim 13 wherein the attachment locations are positioned in the hemmed portion.
15. The combination of claim 42 wherein the attachment locations include eyelets.
16. The combination of claim 9 wherein the panel has top, bottom and side edges.
17. The combination of claim 9 wherein the panel has top, bottom and side edges and the attachment locations are located along the top and bottom edges of the panel.
18. The combination of claim 9 wherein the panel has top, bottom and side edges and the attachment locations are located along the top and side edges of the panel.
19. The combination of claim 9 wherein the panel has top, bottom and side edges, the attachment locations are located along the top and bottom edges of the panel and at least some of the attachment locations include eyelets.
20. The combination of claim 9 wherein the panel has top, bottom and side edges, the attachment locations are located along the top and side edges of the panel and at least some of the attachment locations include eyelets.
21. The combination of claim 9 wherein the panel is comprised of plastic sheet material.
22. The combination of claim 9 wherein the panel is comprised of a textile fabric.
23. The combination of claim 9 wherein the panel is air permeable.
24. The combination of claim 9 wherein the panel is woven of polyester monofilament yarns and is air permeable.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 9, 2004
Publication Date: Mar 23, 2006
Inventor: Cindy Lee Seas (Bellmawr, NJ)
Application Number: 10/937,130
International Classification: E04H 17/16 (20060101);