WO2007017865A2

WO2007017865A2 - Louvered window shutter

Info

Publication number: WO2007017865A2
Application number: PCT/IL2006/000909
Authority: WO
Original assignee: Orion, Naftali
Priority date: 2005-08-10
Filing date: 2006-08-07
Publication date: 2007-02-15
Also published as: WO2007017865A3

Abstract

A roller shutter designed for louvering purposes, in combination with guide rails is disclosed the roller shutter is adapted to be mounted on sides of an opening and a rotatable shaft adapted to be mounted on top of the opening. The disclosed shutter is comprised of a plurality of solid slats, the slats being movable in an upward and a downward direction in the guide rails by being wound up or down on the rotatable shaft; a plurality of lateral members with passage, each of the lateral members has a narrow stay in one edge and two hooks with canaliculus in the second edge located with interspace between that enables the narrow stay to be insert and being pivotally connected to adjoining member by means of a pin, and wherein the plurality of lateral members are creating a chain that each lateral member can move away in a limited distance by the movement of the pin in the canaliculus; a plurality of slat-units, each of the slat-units is made of a hammer shape connector and a lug that are connected by an axis, wherein each of slat-units is connected to the slat by means of the hammer shaped connector and the lug and axis are inserted through the passage of the lateral member in a way that the lug goes beyond the passage and the axis enables rotation of the slat-unit in relation to the lateral member; a plurality of rotatable rotors rotatably mountable in at least one of the guide rails one above the other, each the rotor having a slot of a size permitting one the lug to slide into the slot, the rotors being aligned with the slots in a straight line, permitting the lugs to pass through all the slots during lowering or raising of the shutter; and means for simultaneous turning of all the rotors in one direction while the shutter is in the completely lowered position, effecting the connectors to disengage and all the slats to simultaneously turn about the same angle of inclination.

Description

LOUVERED WINDOW SHUTTER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a window shutter, particularly to a movable roller shutter with horizontal louvered slats.

BACKGBROUND OF THE INVENTION

Window shutters have been used for many years, either for shading purposes, hiding, or both.

There are some types of shutters and some of these types are made of movably louver slats that are installed in a framework and capable to rotate from perpendicular position to horizontal position and versus versa in order to partly or totally shading. These shutters usually have a tilt-rod and with a lever enabling to adjust the angle of the louver slats. Another kind of shutter are made of a plurality of slats that are joined one to the adjoining slat and are used by rolling the slats upward to open and downward to close. The present invention is a shutter that is combined from these two kinds.

A louvered shutter is described in US 5,566,738 to Yadidya entitled "Louvered movable window shutter". The shutter that is described in this patent has some disadvantages. The two main disadvantages is that the slats' rotation in done by levers from one side, which cause mechanical problems that are affected by non-symmetric moment and the second disadvantages is that the connection between slats is done by hooks that are part of the slats, and if the slats are not totally closed and the shutter is moved upward, the slats are disconnected. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a louvered window shutter.

According to the teachings of the present invention there is provided a roller shutter designed for louvering purposes, in combination with guide rails adapted to be mounted on sides of an opening and a rotatable shaft adapted to be mounted on sides of an opening and a rotatable shaft adapted to be mounted on top of the opening, the shutter further comprising:

• a plurality of solid slats, these slats are being movable in an upward and a downward direction in the guide rails by being wound up or down on the rotatable shaft;

• a plurality of lateral members with passage, each of the lateral members has a narrow stay in one edge and two hooks with canaliculus in the second edge both located with interspace between that enables the narrow stay to be insert and being pivotally connected to adjoining member by means of a pin, and wherein the plurality of lateral members are creating a chain that each lateral member can move away in a limited distance by the movement of the pin in the canaliculus;

• a plurality of slat-units, each of the slat-units is made of a hammer shape connector and a lug that are connected by an axis, wherein each of slat- units is connected to the slat by means of the hammer shaped connector and the lug and axis are inserted through the passage of the lateral member in a way that the lug goes beyond the passage and the axis enables rotation of the slat-unit in relation to the lateral member;

• a plurality of rotatable rotors rotatably mountable in at least one of the guide rails one above the other, each of these rotor having a slot of a size permitting the lug to slide into the slot, the rotors being aligned with the slots in a straight line, permitting the lugs to pass through all the slots during lowering or raising of the shutter; and

• means for simultaneous turning of all the rotors in one direction while the shutter is in the completely lowered position, effecting the connectors to disengage and all the slats to simultaneously turn about the same angle of inclination.

According to a preferred embodiment the roller shutter is provided, wherein each slat having an upper edge with a hook shaped connector and a lower edge with a hook-shaped connector, the upper and the lower hook-shaped connectors having openings facing in opposite directions to effect engagement of the connectors on the upper edge of each slat with the connectors on the lower edge of the slat positioned thereabove when the slats are in position to be raised, thereby holding all slats in a solid connection while the slats are at a maximum distance from each other, and permitting disengagement of the upper and lower connectors by turning of the slats about thereof, upon complete lowering of the shutter onto a lower abutment surface of the opening, while the slats are at a minimum distance from each other, and whereof each slat is provided with a flat lug at each of two ends thereof.

According to another preferred embodiment the roller shutter is provided, wherein each slat terminates short off the guide rails and is provided with a lateral member at each end which contains the slat-unit and is provided with inter-engaging hook-shaped connectors of a kind preventing sideways disengagement.

According to another preferred embodiment the roller shutter is provided, wherein the lateral members are rigidly connected to the ends of each slat by means of a slat-unit and wherein each member is releasably linked to the adjoining member by a hammer-shaped connector at an upper end thereat engaging with two loops at a lower end of the adjoining member.

According to another preferred embodiment the roller 5 shutter is provided, wherein each lateral member is rotatably mounted at either end of each slat on a bolt rigidly connecting the end of the slat with the hammer shaped connector, and is pivotally connected to an adjoining lateral member.

According to yet another preferred embodiment the roller shutter is provided, wherein the rotors are pivotally attached to a tilt-rod vertically movable inside the guide rail, connection between each rotor and the tilt-rod being made by a pin integral with the rotor and pivotally attached to the tilt-rod.

According to another preferred embodiment the roller shutter is provided, wherein the rotors are pivotally attached to a pair of tilt-rods - each connected to the other side of the rotors' center, the tilt-rods enable to rotate simultaneously the rotors by moving up or down one of the tilt-rods or by moving one tilt-rod up an the second tilt-rod down.

According to another preferred embodiment the roller shutter, further includes a lock-pin located in the lower end of each the hammer shaped connector and a canaliculus located in the upper end of each the lateral member, wherein the canaliculus has an opening in the lower end enables the lock pin to move un and out while the roller shutter is completely rolled down and on the other hand prevents the lock-pin to move out while the roller shutter starts to move up and the chine that made of the lateral members is stretched.

According to another yet preferred embodiment the roller shutter further includes a controller operative for at least part of the followings:

• according to a continuous "down" command, rolling the shutter down and when the shutter is completely down, rotating the rotors to open the slats;

• preventing rotation of the rotors when the shutter is not completely down;

• according to a continuous "up" command, rotating the rotors to close the slats and then rolling the shutter up; and

• preventing upward movement of the shutter when the slats are open.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

In the figures:

Figure 1 illustrates the lateral member and the slat-unit, alone and as is installed is the shutter. Figure 2 illustrates the way slats are connected to the lateral member via slat-units and how the lock-pin is operative.

Figure 3 illustrates the rotors and the mechanism that rotates them simultaneously.

Figure 4 illustrates the simultaneously opening and closing the slats.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is a louvered window shutter.

The principles and operation of the electrical louvered shutter, according to the present invention, may be better understood with reference to the drawing and the accompanying description.

The present invention a roller shutter designed for louvering purposes, in combination with guide rails that adapted to be mounted on sides of an opening and a rotate-able shaft that adapted to be mounted on top of the opening.

Referring now to the drawing, Figure 1 illustrates the lateral member and the slat-unit, alone and as is installed is the shutter as a combined unit. The lateral member 20 includes two hooks 20a with canaliculus 20c, a narrow-stay 20b, a passage 20c and locking-canaliculus 2Od in one of the hooks 20a. The lateral members 20 are connected as a chain wherein the narrow-stay 20b is inserted between the two hooks 20a and connected by a pin 22 that capable to move up and down in the canaliculus 2Oe enabling the lateral members 20 to lay one on each other and closing the gap or in a stretch position with a gap between. The slat-unit 21 includes hammer shaped connector 21a, a lug 21b, an axis 21c that connects them and a lock-pin 21d. The slat-unit 21 is installed via the passage 20c of the lateral member 20 in a way that the lug 21b is protruded from one side of the lateral member 20 and the hammer shaped connector remains in the other side. In this combined unit - wherein a slat-unit 21 installed in a lateral member 20 - the slat-unit 21 capable to rotate around the axis 21c in relation to the lateral member 20. Two chins made of a plurality of these combined units and slats (not shown) that are connected between these chins creating a shutter.

Figure 2 illustrates the way slats are connected to the lateral member via slat-units and how the lock-pin is operative. The figure shows two positions of the shutter "A" and "B' from the front view "a" and side view "b". The slats 11 are connected to the hammer- shaped connector 21a and capable to rotate with the slat-units 21. In figure 2a the shutter is completely down "A" the gap 13 between the slats 11 is minimal; actually the slats 11 are laying one on each other. When the shutter starts to move up "B¹, the chine of lateral members 20 is stretched and the gap 14 between the slats 11 is enlarge as far as the pin 22 can move in the canaliculus 2Oe. In the side view - figure 2b - in a completely down shutter "A" the locking-pin 21 d can move out from the lower opening 24 of the locking-canaliculus 23 and enables the slat-unit 21a to rotate and the slats too. When the shutter starts to move up "B' - the locking-pin 21 d is moves up inside the canaliculus 23, in this position the locking-pin 21d is locked inside the canaliculus 23 and prevents rotation of the slat-unit 21.

Figure 3 illustrates the rotors and the mechanism that rotates them simultaneously. The rotors and the mechanism are installed in the guide rails 30 of the shutter. "A" position is the position that enables the slats to move up and down. In the backside "a" there are two tilt-rods 32a and 32b pivotally joined to the rotors 31 via two rotate-able pines 33a and 33b. In the front side "b" all the rotors and the slots 31a are align enabling the lugs 21b to pass through the slots 31a. "B¹ position is the rotating position when - from backside "a" - one tilt-rod 32a is moved down while the second 32b is moved up. These movements rotates simultaneously the rotors 31 and is inclined the slots 31a with the lugs 21b inside, which is inclined the slats 11.

Figure 4 illustrates the simultaneously opening and closing the slats. In "a" position the slats 11 are closed. Moving one tilt rod 32b down and the second 32d up affect the rotate-able pins 33a and 33b to rotate the rotors 31 as shown in position "b" showing the slats 11 open. The simultaneously movement can be performed by a motor 34 that is connected to one of the rotors or to the tilt-rods.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art, accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A roller shutter designed for louvering purposes, in combination with guide rails adapted to be mounted on sides of an opening and a rotatable shaft adapted to be mounted on top of said opening, said shutter further comprising:

• a plurality of solid slats, said slats being movable in an upward and a downward direction in the guide rails by being wound up or down on the rotatable shaft;

• a plurality of lateral members with passage, each of said lateral members has a narrow stay in one edge and two hooks with canaliculus in the second edge located with interspace between that enables said narrow stay to be insert and being pivotally connected to adjoining member by means of a pin, and wherein said plurality of lateral members are creating a chain that each lateral member can move away in a limited distance by the movement of said pin in said canaliculus;

• a plurality of slat-units, each of said slat-units is made of a hammer shape connector and a lug that are connected by an axis, wherein each of slat- units is connected to said slat by means of said hammer shaped connector and said lug and axis are inserted through said passage of said lateral member in a way that said lug goes beyond said passage and said axis enables rotation of said slat-unit in relation to said lateral member;

• a plurality of rotatable rotors rotatably mountable in at least one of said guide rails one above the other, each said rotor having a slot of a size permitting one said lug to slide into said slot, said rotors being aligned with said slots in a straight line, permitting said lugs to pass through all the slots during lowering or raising of said shutter; and • means for simultaneous turning of all the rotors in one direction while said shutter is in the completely lowered position, effecting said connectors to disengage and all said slats to simultaneously turn about the same angle of inclination.

2. The roller shutter of claim I₅ wherein each slat having an upper edge with a hook-shaped connector and a lower edge with a hook-shaped connector, the upper and the lower hook-shaped connectors having openings facing in opposite directions to effect engagement of the connectors on the upper edge of each slat with the connectors on the lower edge of the slat positioned thereabove when said slats are in position to be raised, thereby holding all slats in a solid connection while the slats are at a maximum distance from each other, and permitting disengagement of said upper and lower connectors by turning of said slats about thereof, upon complete lowering of said shutter onto a lower abutment surface of the opening, while the slats are at a minimum distance from each other, and whereof each slat is provided with a flat lug at each of two ends thereof.

3. The roller shutter of claim 1, wherein each said slat terminates short off said guide rails and is provided with a lateral member at each end which contains said slat-unit and is provided with interengaging hook-shaped connectors of a kind preventing sideways disengagement.

4. The roller shutter of claim 3, wherein said lateral members are rigidly connected to the ends of each said slat by means of said slat-unit and wherein each said member is releasably linked to the adjoining member by a hammer shaped connector at an upper end thereat engaging with two loops at a lower end of the adjoining member.

5. The roller shutter of claim 3, wherein each said lateral member is rotatably mounted at either end of each slat on a bolt rigidly connecting the end of said slat with said lug, and is pivotally connected to an adjoining lateral member.

6. The roller shutter of claim 1, wherein said rotors are pivotally attached to a tilt-rod vertically movable inside said guide rail, connection between each rotor and said tilt-rod being made by pin integral with said rotor and pivotally attached to said tilt-rod.

7. The roller shutter of claim 6, wherein said rotors are pivotally attached to a pair of tilt-rods - each connected to the other side of said rotors' center, said tilt-rods enable to rotate simultaneously said rotors by moving up or down one of said tilt-rods or by moving one tilt-rod up an the second tilt-rod down.

8. The roller shutter of claim 1, further includes a lock-pin located in the lower end of each said hammer shaped connector and a canaliculus located in the upper end of each said lateral member, wherein said canaliculus has an opening in the lower end enables said lock-pin to move un and out while said roller shutter is completely rolled down and on the other hand prevents said lock-pin to move out while said roller shutter starts to move up and said chine that made of said lateral members is stretched.

9. The roller shutter of claim 1, further includes a controller operative for at least part of the followings: • according to a continuous "down" command, rolling said shutter down and when said shutter is completely down, rotating said rotors to open said slats;

• preventing rotation of said rotors when said shutter is not completely down;

• according to a continuous "up" command, rotating said rotors to close said slats and then rolling said shutter up; and

• preventing upward movement of said shutter when said slats are open.