AU779762B2 - A louvre window system having an improved datum position - Google Patents

Description

A LOUVRE WINDOW SYSTEM HAVING AN IMPROVED DATUM

POSITION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements to louvre windows and particularly relates to the use of an improved datum position for the positioning of the louvre blades and/or handles. The invention may also be directed to improvements to the position of louvre window handles, and a link means that can enable adjacent handles to be operated together. The invention will be described with reference to a louvre window but it should be appreciated that the invention may also be applicable to other types of louvre arrangements such as louvre doors or louvres in other types of partitions.

BACKGROUND ART Louvre windows consist of a surround frame formed of upper and lower horizontal frame portions and opposed side frame portions that are fastened together. The lower horizontal frame portion is known as the sill, and the upper horizontal frame portion is known as the head. The frame supports an array of horizontal louvres which pivot about horizontal pivot pins between louvre open and louvre closed positions. It is known to tip the frame on its side such that the louvres extend vertically, however the invention will be described with respect to horizontally extending louvre blades.

For louvre windows, the blades are formed of glass and are rectangular when viewed in plan. The blades can have a length of anywhere between 20 to 100cm, a width of between 10 to 40cm, and a thickness of between 4 to 10mm. Typically, the width or pitch of a louvre blade is either 152 mm or 102 mm.

A louvre window of any desired height can be manufactured by assembling the required number of louvre blades. For aesthetic and functional reasons, a louvre window will only have blades of one particular width or pitch. Occasionally, the required height of the window does not match exactly the number of louvre blades. Therefore, an extension is provided (which is usually a glass infill that is fixed in position), and which does not operate with the rest of the louvre blades to make up the height difference.

The conventional manufacturing process of a louvre window uses the sill of the window as the basis for determining the position of the window handles. The advantage of this is that as long as adjacent windows in a wall are above the ground level by the same distance, the handles of the adjacent windows will be in horizontal alignment which provides an aesthetic advantage. However, there can be some manufacturing difficulties in using the sill of the window as the basis or datum for the assembly of the louvre blades.

As it is not practical to drill holes in glass blades, it is usual for the glass blades to be supported by end clips. One end clip is pivotally attached to one side frame portion and the other end clip is pivotally attached to the other side frame portion. It is normal for the end clips on one side frame portion to be functionally attached together such that a louvre operating mechanism can rotate all the end clips. The end clips on the other side frame portion can usually pivot independently.

Conventional louvre operating mechanisms that open and close louvre blades provide a measure of security to prevent the louvres from being opened by an intruder. For instance, a conventional louvre operating mechanism has an overcentre-type mechanism that makes it difficult for an intruder to prise the louvre blades back into the open position. However, this conventional operating mechanism functions primarily to open and close the louvres and does not have a central function to lock the louvres in the closed position. As well, these conventional arrangements work on the end clips that are attached to one side of the frame. The end clips that are attached to the other side of the frame have no operating mechanism.

Conventional louvre operating mechanisms simply rotate the end clips on one side frame portion by engaging with and rotating the pivot pins. The mechanism is simple as the louvre pivots about a central portion, which means that the pivot pin is easily accessible to the mechanism.

A particular disadvantage with conventional louvre mechanisms is the rather large load placed on the operating mechanism when opening or closing a louvre window of the type described above. This requires components to be made of strong material, usually steel that adds to the manufacturing cost. As well, it can be difficult for a person to manipulate a conventional operating mechanism due to the larger loads. Another disadvantage is that a single handle can only effectively operate a relatively few number of blades, before the load on the handle becomes excessive.

This prevents the manufacture of a louvre window having either relatively few handles, or handles positioned in a more ergonomic manner. For instance, in the case of relatively tall window assemblies, there would be an advantage in being able to position the handles at waist height, or at a height which would allow a person to readily manipulate the handle without excessive stretching.

This would also provide a benefit for small children, or persons in wheelchairs etc.

There would also be an advantage in enabling a single handle to manipulate two or more sets of louvres. Conventionally, each set of Iouvres (typically between 4-6 louvre blades) requires a single handle. Therefore, a tall window assembly may have a relatively large number of handles, with some of the handles being difficult to access by being either too high, or too low.

In order to allow a single handle to operate two or more sets of Iouvres, there would be an advantage in providing a louvre operating mechanism which does not place as much load onto the handle or other components, which can allow a larger than normal number of louvre blades to be rotated by a single handle (which may be linked).

When installing windows and doors in a wall, it is usual to align the top of the window and the top of the door in order to provide an aesthetically pleasing effect. Thus, if a room has a door and a number of different windows, it is usual to align the tops of each window with the top of the door. However, this creates a difficulty if each window has a different height. This is because the handles in each window assembly can become misaligned horizontally with the handles in each other window assembly. This creates an aesthetic disadvantage. To date, there has been no mechanism which allows this potential conflict to be resolved.

In order to reduce water penetration through the louvre window, the blades are in an overlapping configuration when closed, which means that a lower longitudinal edge of an upper blade overlaps the upper longitudinal edge of an adjacent lower blade. It is also known to have end clips configured to seal against each other to minimise water penetration through the end clips.

Overlapping blades are not very effective in preventing water penetration. Under strong wind and rain conditions, water can be forced uphill between the overlapping closed blades and into the interior of the louvre window. One way to minimise this is to increase the degree of overlap but this increases the size and weight of a louvre window and reduces optical transparency.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a louvre window which may overcome at least some of the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice.

In one form, the invention resides in a louvre window assembly comprising a surround frame, and a plurality of louvre blades pivotally connected relative to the surround frame, at least one handle to rotate at least some of the louvre blades, the surround frame comprising an upper horizontal head member, the louvre blades in being positioned relative to the head member as a datum.

It is found that this difference (that is using the head member as the datum rather than the sill) substantially contributes to the invention by now removing the conflict between the conventional mar~ufacturing method (using the sill as the datum), and the conventional building procedure where the top of the windows and doors are aligned. By using the head member as the datum, an assembled window will now have its louvre blades and the handles positioned relative to the head member, which means that adjacent window assemblies (even of different lengths) will have of the handles aligned horizontally because the builder will use the top of the windows and doors as an alignment point, and this complements the way that the window has been assembled.

If an assembled window is of a length which does not match a particular number of louvre blades, an infill panel (typically of glass) can be provided, and this panel can now be fixed adjacent the sill, as opposed to adjacent the head with conventional window assemblies. In this manner, the alignment of the louvre blades and handles is not jeopardised as the infill panel is adjacent the bottom of the louvre window and not adjacent the top of the louvre window which is now the datum point.

Suitably, the handle of the window assembly, (and which rotates a set of Iouvres) is positioned in an ergonomically friendly manner. Suitably, this handle is positioned such that a person does not have to unduly stretch or unduly bend to manipulate the handle. A suitable position would be adjacent the midriff portion of a standing person.

If the window assembly is of a length such that two or more handles are required, it is preferred that a pair of handles is positioned relatively close to each other. This can be achieved by having one handle adjacent an upper part of its set of louvres, and having a second handle adjacent a lower part of its set of Iouvres.

Suitably, the operating mechanism is such that a larger than normal number of louvre blades can be rotated by a single handle. The handle may be a slide handle or a twist handle or a rotating handle or a winding handle. Other types of handles are also envisaged. The operating mechanism may be such that the amount of friction between the various parts is reduced to enable a larger than normal number of louvre blades to be operated by a single handle. Alternatively, or in addition thereto, the operating mechanism may be designed to also reduce the load on a particular handle. In this manner, it is envisaged that up to eight louvre blades can be operated from one handle. Consequently, it can now become possible to position the handle in a more ergonomic manner, as the handle can be positioned anywhere where it can be operatively connected to up to eight louvre blades which provides more versatility and conventional louvre blades 6 assemblies where they handle can only be connected up to approximately louvre blades. As louvre blades can have a width of between 10-15 centimetres, the additional three blades can provide an additional leeway of between 30-45 cm to the position of the handle.

By positioning adjacent handles more closely together than is done conventionally and/or having a mechanism which'allows a greater number of louvre blades to be operated from one handle, another form of the invention provides for a link means whereby two sets of louvre blades can be linked to operate from either a single handle, or from two handles which are linked together. Various types of link means are envisaged including link means which form part of the operating mechanism, and link means which link directly to or indirectly to each handle.

In another form, the invention resides in a method of manufacturing a louvre blade assembly, the assembly comprising a plurality of louvre blades attached to a frame, the frame having an upper horizontal head member and a lower horizontal sill member, and at least one handle to operate at least some of the louvre blades, the method comprising positioning the handle at a predetermined position relative to the upper horizontal head member, with the upper horizontal head member acting as a datum.

In another form the invention resides in a method of installing a plurality of louvre blade assemblies into a plurality of openings (such as openings in a wall), the louvre blade assembly comprising a plurality of louvre blades attached to a frame, the frame having an upper horizontal head member, and at least one handle to operate at least some of the louvre blades, the handle being positioned at a predetermined position relative to the upper horizontal head member with the upper horizontal head member acting as a datum, the method comprising positioning each louvre blade assembly such that the upper horizontal head member of each louvre are blade assembly is level with the upper horizontal head member of each other louvre blade assembly 7 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1. Illustrates in side view three louvre blades pivotally connected to a side frame and in the open position.

Figure 2. Illustrates the three louvre blades of Figure 1 in the closed position.

Figure 3. Illustrate various link means.

Figure 4. Illustrates diagrammatically different lengths of louvre blades link members each using a top datum.

Figure 5. Illustrates diagrammatically different lengths of louvre blades link members each using a top datum.

BEST MODE Referring initially to Figures 1-3, there is illustrated in side view a louvre window assembly comprising a side vertical frame member 10, three louvre blades 11, 12, 13, (the side view more correctly illustrating the respective end clips which are conventional), the louvre blades being pivotally connected about a midpoint to a frame member 10. A slide handle 14 operatively connects the three louvre blades and the slide handle 14 is moveable between a louvre open position illustrated in figure 1, and a louvre closed position illustrated in figure 2. Figure 3 illustrates various link means by which the louvre blades can be operatively coupled to operate from a single handle.

Figures 4-5 illustrate diagrammatically various lengths of link members to which the louvres are connected. The link members all use an upper datum 15 as an initial reference point from which the position of handles 16 can be calculated. In this arrangement, it can be seen that handles 16 can all be horizontally aligned notwithstanding that the link members can be of various lengths (thereby producing windows of various lengths). Also illustrated in these figures is that the operating mechanism may be such that handles 16 and 17 can be positioned relatively close to each other compared to conventional window assemblies. This promotes the ability 8 of the handles to be operatively connected together by some form of link member or link means to enable a person to operate both sets of Iouvres in a single action. Handle 16 and 17 can now also be positioned in an ergonomically friendly manner by having handle 16 positioned lower than usual, and handle 17 positioned higher than usual.

It should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications may be made to the embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (12)

1. A louvre window assembly comprising a frame, the frame comprising an upper horizontal head member at a head end of the frame and an opposed sill end, and a plurality of louvre blades each of a particular height pivotally connected relative to the frame, at least one handle to rotate at least some of the louvre blades, the louvre blades being positioned relative to the head member as a datum, wherein when installing a plurality of louvre blade assemblies into openings (such as openings in a wall), at least one of the louvre blade assemblies being a different height, each louvre blade io assembly is positioned such that the upper horizontal head member of each louvre blade assembly is level with the upper horizontal head member of each other louvre blade assembly, thereby aligning the louvre blades of adjacent assemblies.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle of the window assembly, i 15 is positioned such that when the window is installed, the handle is adjacent a midriff portion of a standing person.

3. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein two or more handles are provided.

4. The assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein a pair of said handles is positioned relatively close to each other by having one said handle adjacent an upper part of its set of louvres, and having a second said handle adjacent a lower part of its set of louvres.

5. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein up to eight louvre blades are operated from one handle utilising at S. 25 least one linkage member between the handle and each of the louvre blades.

6. The assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a link means whereby two sets of louvre blades can be linked to operate from either a single handle, or from two handles which are linked together.

7. The assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein to fit a louvre window assembly to an opening which does not exactly match the number of louvre blades, a spacer blade is added at the sill end to match the size of the opening required thereby maintaining each of the louvre blades in position relative to the head member.

8. The assembly according to claim 7 wherein the spacer blade is fixed in position and does not pivot.

9. A method of manufacturing a louvre blade assembly, the assembly comprising a plurality of louvre blades attached to a frame, the frame having an upper horizontal head member and a lower horizontal sill member, and at least one handle to operate at least some of the louvre blades, wherein when installing a plurality of louvre blade assemblies into a plurality of openings (such as openings in a wall), at least one of the louvre blade assemblies being a different height, each louvre blade assembly is positioned such that the upper horizontal head member of each louvre blade assembly is level with the upper horizontal head member of each other louvre blade assembly, the method comprising positioning the handle at a predetermined position relative to the upper horizontal head member, with the :15 upper horizontal head member acting as a datum thereby aligning the louvre blades of adjacent assemblies and the handles of adjacent assemblies.

A method of installing a plurality of louvre blade assemblies into a plurality of openings (such as openings in a wall), the louvre blade assembly comprising a plurality of louvre blades attached to a frame, the frame having an upper horizontal head member, and at least one handle to operate at least some of the louvre blades, the handle being positioned at a predetermined position relative to the upper horizontal head member with the upper horizontal head member acting as a datum, the method comprising positioning each louvre blade assembly such that the upper horizontal head member of each louvre blade assembly is level with the upper horizontal head S"member of each other louvre blade assembly and the louvre blades of each assembly are aligned with the louvre blades of each other louvre blade assembly.

11. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described.

12. A method of claim 9 or 10, substantially as hereinbefore described. DATED this 17th day of August 2004 Breezway Australia Pty Ltd By their Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO.