AU706960B2

AU706960B2 - A louvre style panel

Info

Publication number: AU706960B2
Application number: AU45632/96A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Michael Roy Stenhouse
Original assignee: Stratco Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Stratco Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1995-02-21
Filing date: 1996-02-21
Publication date: 1999-07-01
Anticipated expiration: 2016-02-21
Also published as: AU4563296A

Description

This invention relates to a louvre style panel, and in particular to a panel constructed from a plurality of louvres or bladelike elements that are assembled to allow ventilation while at the same time providing shade.

Louvre panels used both on horizontal surfaces as roof structures or vertical surfaces as protection for windows or openings are well known. In such configurations, a plurality of strips either of metal or wood are assembled side-by-side at an angle with respect to the horizontal or vertical plane in which they lie. This provides an essentially open structure which allows for ventilation through movement of air, and also allows some transmission of light.

15 In respect of vertical surfaces, the louvres are angled so as to prevent ingress of moisture and in respect of louvres used on a horizontal surface, they are angled to provide shade.

In particular, it is well known with a horizontal panel to angle the louvres and to orientate the openings with respect to the sun so that during the winter a low sun in the northern sky is able to penetrate the louvres thereby providing light and warmth. During the summer, when the sun is directly overhead, the same orientation of the louvres provide virtually full shade.

Examples of such louvre arrangements are shown in Australian Patent No 555420 entitled "A Pergola".

In the above patent specification a wooden structure is described however, the use of wooden materials is becoming increasingly expensive, and it is now more cost competitive to construct such structures from steel. Unfortunately, one problem with the use of materials such as steel or other metals is the need for threaded fasteners or welding to connect the various elements. Obviously, such fastening techniques are more expensive and unsightly by comparison to fixing methods which are normally used with wood.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a louvre style panel for use on either vertical or horizontal surfaces, or any angle in between which is constructed from metal components and which overcomes the abovementioned problems. In particular, it is an object of this invention to provide a means whereby louvre blades can be easily and quickly assembled together.

In its broadest form, the invention is a louvre panel comprising at least two louvre fastening members, a plurality of louvre blades having an outer surface attachable to said louvre fastening members so that they are held and aligned in a substantially parallel configuration, longitudinal edges of each said louvre blade formed so that said louvre blades have an S-shaped cross-section with a first edge formed toward said outer surface and a second edge formed away from said outer surface, means on said louvre fastening members for securing said louvre blade edges comprising a recess into which said first edge is located and a projection over which said second edge clips, said recess shaped so that said first edge can be located within said recess but becomes held captive as said louvre blade is moved to engage said second edge and projection.

Preferably, the edges of each louvre blade are formed into a shape that, in conjunction with the louvre fastening means, enables each blade to be readily and easily clipped into place. For example, a half circular shape may be rolled along the edge of each louvre blade and the fastening means may have recesses and projections which enable each of the louvre blades to snap into location.

Preferably, the louvre fastening members comprise a strip having a saw-type profile along one edge of the strip. The profile is provided with the necessary recesses and projections to enable the louvre blades to be secured at an angle with respect to the lower edge of the strip.

In respect of louvre-style panels which may be used on horizontal surfaces it would be convenient to provide a means whereby any form of precipitation falling 3 onto the louvres is prevented from freely falling through the louvre style panel. In this respect, each of the louvre blades may have an edge that is formed into a gutter.

This edge may comprise an edge that is formed into a half circular shape along the entire length of the lower edge. It may be orientated with respect 3a to the upper surface of each louvre blade to provide a channel at the lower most point of the louvre blade along which moisture falling onto the blade can flow. Clearly, any precipitation falling onto the louvre blade would drain from the ends of the blades rather than from along the edge and into the space below.

Preferably, the louvre blades may be rollformed, and a single sided colourbond metal strip may be used to form the louvre. Obviously, in respect of louvre style panels used on horizontal surfaces, then the coloured surface will be the surface seen from underneath.

In addition, it will be clear that the angle of the 15 louvre blade with respect to the fastening members can be varied to optimise the orientation of the louvre blades with respect to the sun during various seasons.

In order to fully explain the invention, a preferred embodiment will now be described, but it should be realised that the scope of the invention is not to be confined or S restricted to the precise details of this embodiment. The embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying diagrams.

In this embodiment, the louvre style panel is used in conjunction with a pergola. As seen in Figure 1, the louvre style panel is to be positioned across a series of beams The louvre style panel comprises a number of fastening members 16 which in this embodiment are a generally U-shaped elongate channel having a base web 17 and two side walls 18.

Each side wall 18 has a generally saw-tooth shaped profile, which is more clearly seen in Figure 2. Each side wall 18 has a plurality of securing means or clipping locations 19 onto which louvre blades 20 are clipped. These clipping locations 19 comprise a recess 22, a projection 23 and a ramp surface 24.

The louvre blades 20 are a rollformed steel strip and have first and second edges 25 and 26 which are both part circular in cross-section. As seen in Fig 2 the recess 22 has an included radius of greater than 180 degrees which in turn is used to trap or lock the edge 25 within the recess 22. As shown in Figure 2, the edge 25 is located within the recess 22 by positioning the louvre blade 20 vertically with respect to the fastening members 16. By rotating the louvre blade downwardly, the edge 25 is held captive in the recess 22.

The second edge 26 of the louvre blade 20 also has a part circular rolled edge. The edge is rolled in the opposite direction with respect to the first edge 25 to form an Sshaped cross-section. A projection 23 is formed on the end of each ramp 24, and the second edge 26 of each louvre blade i 20 locates over the projection 23. The components are sized so that there is a small amount of elastic deflection of the second edge 26 of each louvre blade 20 to positively hold each louvre blade 20 with respect to the fastening members 16.

oe .The ramp 24 of each clipping location 19 is slightly concave to provide a clearance between the lower surface of the louvre blade 20 and the ramp 24. This prevents substantial contact between the underneath surface of the louvre blade 20 and the ramp 24 and allows for the S deformation of the louvre blade 20 into the concave recess 24 S to aid "snap locking" of the louvre blade 20 onto each of the clipping locations 19.

When each of the louvre blades 20 are in place, each of the first edges 25 act as a gutter when the resultant louvre panel is used in a horizontal position. Any water landing on the upper surface of a louvre blade 20 will gather in the edge 25 and will therefore prevent water passing through the panel. Water will drain from the end of each louvre blade and the panel can be angled slightly to provide sufficient fall for drainage.

In accordance with this embodiment, the length of each of the fastening members 16 can be easily varied to provide the necessary number of louvre blades 20. In addition, louvre blades 20 may be of any convenient length which in turn means that it is very easy to produce louvre style panels having varying surface areas.

As seen in Figure 3, the angle of the louvre blades with respect to the track can be such that the winter sun penetrates the louvre type panel whereas the summer sun which is more overhead results in complete shade beneath the louvre style panel.

In certain wind loading conditions additional fastening may be required to hold the louvre blades 20 securely in place. Fig 4 shows a clip 30 that comprises a loop 31 and an arm 32. The loop 31 locates over hooks 33 that comprise the end of the recess 22, and the arm 32 snaps into position over the louvre blade 20. This provides sufficient restraining 20 force for the louvre blade 20 to withstand high uplift forces.

It may be helpful to be able to angle the louvre blades 20 with respect to the fastening members 16, particularly if the louvre blades 20 are to be optimally positioned to the sun. Accordingly, the clipping locations 19 in each side wall 18 may be staggered so that the louvre blade 20 clips onto the fastening member 20 at an angle. The angle will be determined by the degree of staggering of the clipping locations 19.

As will be seen from the above description, the invention provides a means whereby a louvre style panel can be very easily assembled at a much lower cost as a result of not using any additional fastening means. In addition, the provision of a gutter member along one of the edges of each of the louvre blades provides a means whereby precipitation on a horizontal louvre style panel will substantially prevent moisture penetration through the panel.

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. A louvre panel comprising at least two louvre fastening members, a plurality of louvre blades having an outer surface attachable to said louvre fastening members so that they are held and aligned in a substantially parallel configuration, longitudinal edges of each said louvre blade formed so that said louvre blades have an S-shaped cross-section with a first edge formed toward said outer surface and a second edge formed away from said outer surface, means on said louvre fastening members for securing said louvre blade edges comprising a recess into which said first edge is located and a projection over which said second edge clips, said recess shaped so that said first edge can be located within said recess but becomes held captive as said louvre blade is moved to engage said second edge and projection.

2. A louvre panel according to claim 1 wherein each said louvre blade is formed from sheet metal.

3. A louvre panel according to either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said edges are formed to have a part circular cross-sectional shape.

4. A louvre panel according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said first edge is positioned to form a drainage channel into which water will collect, rather than pass freely through said louvre panel.

5. A louvre panel according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said louvre fastening means comprises a generally U-shaped channel having a base web with a pair of side walls either side of said base web, said side walls having a plurality of means for securing said louvre blades to form a louvre panel having louvre blades positioned side-by-side with each blade being tilted at an angle with 7

I.,

Claims

6. A louvre panel according to claim 5 wherein said means for securing said louvre blades in each said side wall result in each said side wall having a generally saw-tooth shape in profile.
7. A louvre panel according to claim 6 wherein the ramped surface of each of said means for securing said louvre blades is concave.
8. A louvre panel according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising fastening means that attaches to both an edge of said louvre blade and said fastening member to hold said louvre blade edge to said fastening member.
9. A louvre panel substantially as described hereinbefore and in accordance with and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Dated this 6th day of May 1999. STRATCO (AUSTRALIA) PTY LIMITED By its Patent Attorneys MADDERNS 8 'C' ABSTRACT This invention relates to a louvre panel that comprises at least two louvre fastening members (16) that have means for securing a plurality of louvre blades (20) thereto to form a generally planar louvre panel, and a plurality of louvre blades (20) for attachment to said fastening members (16) characterised in that each of the louvre blades clip into place on the fastening members (16). *e