DK2835489T3 - Roller shutters, which can act as blinds, with swivel blades - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a roller shutter, which can function as a Venetian blind, having a curtain comprising a plurality of horizontally arranged and non-interlocking slats, wherein the slats have guide elements arranged on their ends and are connected with these via a swivel axis in the lower region of the slats, wherein the guide elements are guided in vertical guide profiles and comprise actuating elements which permit swivelling movements of the individual slats.

The idea to provide shutters with slats that can swivel around a horizontal axis for opening purposes has long been known. To this end, various technical solutions have been presented (DE 29 29 675 Al].

Systems are known which trigger the swivelling of the shutter slats using a rail system (DE 94 03 992 Ul]. The slates are attached to the rail and this rail can be moved up and down by a toothed belt principle and whereby the slates are respectively brought into a closed or open position. Another mechanical adjustment device of a roller shutter, which can function as a Venetian blind, is known from DE 198 42 502 Al. Solutions are also known with drawstrings acting on the slates (DE 20 2013 100 148 Ul]. WO 2012/065917 Al describes a shutter with rotatably adjustable slats, which are respectively adjusted by means of a drive pinion of a toothed rack. All of these solutions are constructively very complex.

In many known solutions, individual adjustment is not possible. There is often only the variant between open and closed or even only open (DE 10 2005 037 775 B4). There is thus only one position here whereby the light is deflected. There is no known winding whereby the adjustment of the slats to deflect light in each position of the shutter is possible. A generic roller shutter with all the features of the preamble of claim 1 is known from EP 0 056 650 Bl.

The current market situation requires a possibility to better utilise the incoming sunbeams and thus also the sun energy. In this regard, however, the known advantages of the shutter, for example during the night hours may not be dispensed with.

Proceeding from here, the object underlying the invention is to design and refine a roller shutter, which can function as a Venetian blind, described in the introduction and previously explained in detail in order to achieve optimised swivelling with little effort and without being overly technical and to provide a "light-deflecting" roller shutter, which can function as a Venetian blind.

This object is achieved with a roller shutter, which can function as a Venetian blind, with all the features of the preamble of claim 1 in that first magnets are provided as actuating elements, which can be moved by further magnets arranged outside of the roller shutter, through appropriate attraction and/or repulsion, in order to open and/or close the slats. Two magnets are inserted in the guide elements which attract each other or are repulsed by oppositely poled magnets. The roller shutter is thus swivelled in the desired region into the opening position guiding the light. The light incident angle is, in this regard, approximately 60°. The advantages of the invention are that the slats swivel from below, the slat can thus deflect the light indirectly into the room through the slat shape.

If "magnets" are in question, magnetic coils or magnetic coil modules, i.e. electromagnets in particular should also be included here, which can be centrally controlled.

The use of magnets is already known per se from DE 40 20 244 Al. The magnets, however, here serve for guiding the slat ends in the case of inclined shutters. A further teaching of the invention makes provision for each guide element to have a swivel element connected to the associated slate end and a locking element located vertically in the guide profile. These elements form, together with the guide profiles which respectively guide a carriage right and left, the core part of the invention. Preferably in a further embodiment of the invention, the swivel element locks in a swivelled-in position with the locking element. This can, for example take place through a positive latching connection known per se in the swivel element and/or locking element. The guide elements are finished components made from a plastic material. All mechanical components for correct functioning of the roller shutter, which can function as a Venetian blind, are located therein. The axis is important for the swivelling of the shutter and must be stable and securely connected to the locking piece. It is preferred to use a reinforced axis which is inserted deeper into the locking element and is stuck there or is rigidly connected in another way. A further preferred embodiment of the invention makes provision for the opening angle between swivel element and locking element to be variable. An adjustable stop element is provided on the swivel element and/or the locking element in order to vary the angle of the individual slats of the curtain. Alternatively, it is, however, also possible (and constructively simpler] when the opening angle between swivel element and locking element is firmly specified. A value of 60°, for example has proven reliable here.

In order that the slats swivelled into the open position maintain their position and do not swivel closed again, for example due to a draught, a further preferred teaching of the invention makes provision for each guide element to have a spreading element in order to hold the swivel element in its open position. In this regard, it is preferably a spring which runs around the swivel axis and the leg of which is connected rigidly with the swivel element or the locking element. The springs at both ends of each slate thus reliably ensure that the curtain, in the open position, does not swivel closed again even with the influence of wind.

According to a further embodiment of the invention provision is made for the swivel axis to run through the locking element and to have at its end a lever, connected in a nonrotating manner, which in its swivelled-in position lies in the plane of the curtain. In order to swivel, at least one magnet is preferably arranged in or on the lever. Alternatively, it is also possible for the complete lever to be designed as a magnet. By applying a magnetic force on the lever end, an "opening" of the respective slat takes place, which, preferably supported by the already described spring force, is then swivelled into the end position thereof (open position).

According to a further teaching of the invention, at least one second magnet in the upper region of the swivel element serves to "close" an open slat.

According to a first embodiment according to the invention, in order to swivel the slats, the further magnets for actuating the magnets on the swivel or locking element are arranged in a displaceable carriage. Alternatively it is also possible for the further magnets to be formed by a plurality of electromagnets arranged in or on the guide profile which can be activated or have their polarity reversed through a suitable control in order to open individual slats or slat regions. A constructively particularly elegant embodiment is then achieved when, instead of a carriage or a plurality of magnets arranged distributed in the guide profiles, respectively one magnet or magnetic coil module is arranged in both intake funnels. Such an embodiment is fully sufficient for achieving the same effect: as a result of the fact that upon extending the shutters all slats pass the intake funnels and thus also the magnets located there in order to open, the information on the slats to be opened during lowered is transmitted to the two magnets using a 'smart' control, which can similarly be arranged in a space-saving manner in one of the intake funnels. The intake funnel without control must, in this case, only comprise one module which executes the commands of the control by means of the magnets located there. Expediently, the control unit is permanently cast in the intake funnel, however, it can also of course be built in at another point. The control can also be expanded by, optionally modularly implementable, further modules, for example radio modules for bidirectional communication.

In the case of the embodiment by means of carriages, each carriage respectively has a magnet in order to open and a magnet in order to close individual slats of the roller shutter. For actuation, the carriage is vertically displaceable within the guide profile, wherein repulsing magnets exert a force on the lever connected in a non-rotating manner to the slat in order to overcome the latching force between locking element and swivel element and thus swivel the respective slat into its open position. Displacing the carriage into the opposing direction can, byway of a further magnet, attract the magnets at the upper end of the swivel element. In this regard, the magnetic force must be greater than the spring force of the spreading element and the latching force between locking element and swivel element in order to achieve reliable locking of both elements (at each end of the slat].

Since, unlike 'conventional' shutters, adjacent slats are not interlocked, according to another teaching of the invention, two locking elements arranged above each other ensure a swivelable connection of two adjacent slats by means of a connection element. A further embodiment of the invention makes provision for each connection element to have a slot for releasing or locking the respectively immediately adjacent slats. If the curtain (with all slats in the closed position) is moved fully downwards, the upper bars of the slats stick into a recess of the slat respectively lying above such that the curtain is closed in a positive manner like a conventional shutter. If the slats are raised again, the slots ensure that an air gap results between the adjacent slats so that reopening of individual slats or slat regions is possible.

The guide elements are preferably arranged completely within the guide profiles. In this way, the roller shutter, which can function as a Venetian blind, according to the invention looks like a conventional shutter from inside and outside.

In order to maintain the usual function of the shutter, in a further embodiment of the invention, the curtain can be wound up a winding shaft. For winding up, any still open slats are forcibly closed through suitable guide or actuation means on leaving the vertical guide profile such that a normal shutter function is possible. The roller shutter can thus also be moved (wound up) in spite of open slats. The slats adapt to the winding behaviour. A drive of the entire system with a drive unit or also with two separate drives is conceivable. The shutter according to the invention is thus also a normal wind up shutter, in the case of which the slats can still deflect the light in the room by swivelling.

Theoretically, the mechanics is applicable to all slats. In the case of most known solutions, different disadvantages result, thus most windings on the market work with extruded slats, whereby the end product is unnecessarily more expensive. Thus a further teaching of the invention makes provision for the slats to be roll-formed. Thus in the case of production, available material can be used and thus time saved. It is, however, also conceivable to alternatively use a special extruded shutter slat for this system. Retrofitting is also possible since already available slats can also continue to be used following shaping with a special tool.

According to the invention, this is a shutter, the slats of which deflect the daylight into rooms. A strongly reflective coating of the slats is also conceivable such that the light is deflected into the room even more effectively. The roller shutter according to the invention is thus particularly suitable for rooms to which no or hardly any natural light reaches.

In the embodiment with carriages, the shutter can in each position, whether half lowered or completely down, swivel the individually swivelable mounted shutter slats into an open or a closed position by way of the carriage. A roller shutter, which can function as a Venetian blind, thus results which is constructively simple and easy to mount. The shutter can be mounted, depending on construction projects, as a left or right shutter. The slats, no matter which position the curtain is in, can be brought into a closed or into an open position by the magnetism in the guide elements. The advantage here is that a virtually "normal" shutter can be used in order to darken a room or to fulfil the function of light deflection in order to generate indirect light.

The invention is explained in greater detail below by means of a drawing merely depicting a preferred exemplary embodiment. It is shown in

Fig. 1 a roller shutter, which can function as a Venetian blind, according to the invention with partially swivelled-open slats, in a perspective view, partially sectioned,

Fig. 2 the subject matter of Fig. 1 in a vertical section along the line 11 - 11 from

Fig. 1,

Fig. 2b an alternative embodiment to Fig. 2a,

Fig. 3 a roller shutter, which can function as a Venetian blind, according to the invention in the region of the transition of the open and closed region of the curtain in enlarged side view without guide rail,

Fig. 4a - 4c the section from Fig. 3 in perspective view and in two side views and

Fig. 5 the guide element according to the invention, individually depicted in open position.

In Fig. 1, a curtain 1 according to the invention of a roller shutter, which can function as a Venetian blind, is depicted in a perspective manner with partially swivelled-open slats 2 in the upper region of the curtain 1. For better understanding of the function, the vertical section along the line II - II from Fig. 1 is depicted in Fig. 2a. The open (upper) region of the curtain 1 is designated there with the reference numeral 1A and the closed (lower) region of the curtain 1 with the reference numeral IB. It can be recognised that the opening angle is approx. 60° such that by reflecting the daylight on the slats 2, indirect lighting of the room located below takes place.

In this regard, the individual slats 2, as already known per se from the prior art, are connected via a swivel axis 3 in the lower region of the slats 2 at the ends thereof with further guide elements 4 described in detail below, which are, in turn, guided in vertical guide profiles 5. Each guide element 4 has a swivel element 6 connected to the respective end of the slat 2 and a locking element 7 located vertically in the guide profile 5, as can be inferred in particular from the enlarged depiction in Fig. 3.

Fig. 2b shows an alternative embodiment. Identically to Fig. 2a, a winding shaft 15 can initially be recognised, with the aid of which the curtain 1 can be wound up in a known manner in a shutter box 16. A mechanical guide roller 17 ensures, in this regard, a force-controlled closure of open individual slats of the curtain when raising the shutter. Below the shutter box 16, an intake funnel 19 is shown in Fig. 2b, in which a magnet module M3 is arranged such that the activation thereof causes the opening of the shutter slat 2 passing by, as will be described further below in greater detail. A control unit 20, merely indicated, ensures, in this regard, the corresponding conversion of the operational command into a control of the magnets M3. Otherwise, Fig. 2b matches Fig. 2a.

The function of the "opening" of individual slats or slat regions can be best depicted by means of Fig. 4. Fig. 4a shows, for the embodiment with carriages, the end region of the curtain 1 analogous to Fig. 3 in perspective view and the figures Fig. 4b and 4c in two side views, wherein all slats 2 are depicted closed to better explain the interaction of the actuating elements, even though the upper two slats 2 should be open in this position.

Before going into the interaction of all constructive parts, the structure of an individual guide element 4 should firstly be presented by means of the perspective depiction of the same in Fig. 5. The swivel element 6 is firstly recognised, which is attached at the end of the slat 2. The swivel element 6 is, in this regard, arranged swivelably on the locking element 7 via the swivel axis 3, wherein a spring 8, of which only the free leg connected to the swivel element 6 is recognisable, is guided as a spiral spring around the swivel axis 3. The other free leg of the spring 8 (not recognisable in Fig. 5) is connected in a corresponding manner to the locking element 7. In this way, the curtain 1 in the open position does not swivel closed again even by the influence of wind.

It is also recognisable that the swivel axis 3 is guided through the locking element 7 and has at its end a lever 9 arranged in a non-rotating manner. Two magnets Ml and M2 serve for the magnetic drive, of which the first is arranged at the free upper end of the swivel element 6 and the second at the lower end of the lever 9. Two further magnets M3 and M4 are attached to a carriage, as emerges from figures 3 and 4a. The carriage 10 is, in this regard, vertically displaceable by means of a guide 11 along a guide rail 12 arranged inside the guide profile 5. The magnets Ml and M3 repulse each other in this regard such that in the case of the carriage 10 moving downwards, opening of the slats 2 connected to the swivel elements 6 takes place. Conversely, if the carriage 10 moves upwards, the magnets M2 (in the lever 9) and M4 repulse each other and closing of the corresponding slat 2 takes place. As already mentioned, in the case of the version depicted in Fig. 2b without carriages, the magnets M4 can be dispensed with since the closing of already open slats 2 forcibly takes place when raising the curtain 1

The precise arrangement of the magnets Ml to M4 is best inferred from Fig. 4a to 4c. It can be clearly recognised, as also already stated regarding Fig. 5, that the magnets Ml are embedded in the upper region of the swivel element 6 and the magnets M2 are located in the lower region of the lever 9. While the lower depiction in Fig. 4a to 4c is correctly reproduced, at least the second slat 2 must be opened from above, since the magnets Ml and M3 also repulse each other. In the position shown, however, the spatial proximity of these two magnets Ml and M3 can be very clearly recognised, reliable opening of the slats 2 concerned takes place in this manner.

In Fig. 4a and Fig. 5, the articulated connection between the respectively adjacent guide elements 4 can also be clearly recognised. To this end, a connection element 13, which has at its upper end a slot 14, serves to enable a longitudinal displacement of two adjacent slats 2. In Fig. 5, the connection element 13 of the guide element arranged thereabove (not depicted) is shown, to this end, above the depicted guide element 4 in a dot-dashed manner. The slats 2 of the curtain 1 are thus, up to the mutual interlocking, articulatedly connected to each other like "normal" shutters. The curtain 1 can thus be wound up a winding shaft 15 into a shutter box 16 in a known manner, as shown in Fig. 2a and 2b. A mechanical guide roller 17 ensures, in this regard, that the curtain 1 can be wound up even in an "open" state by forcible closure of the slats 2 taking place after leaving the vertical guide profile 5 by influencing the swivelled-out lever 9 before they are wound up such that a normal shutter function is possible.

In order to achieve the articulated connection, the connection element 13 is not only arranged rotatably in the region of the swivel axis 3, the connection element 13 also has an axis 18 in its lower region which engages in a corresponding recess of the locking element arranged therebelow (not depicted) and is rotatably connected to the latter.

Claims (25)

A roller shutter which can act as a blind with a curtain (1) of a plurality of horizontally arranged slats (2) that are not joined together, the slats (2) at the ends having guide elements (4) arranged on the end surface, and is connected thereto via a pivot axis (3) in the lower region of the slats (2), the guide elements (4) being guided in vertical guide profiles (5) and comprising operating elements enabling a rotational movement of the individual slats (2) by an opening angle between a closed and an opened position, characterized in that first magnets (M1, M2) movable by additional magnets (M3, M4) arranged outside the roller shutter are provided as controls pulling and / or repulsion for opening and any. closure of the slats (2). A roller shutter according to claim 1, characterized in that each guide element (4) comprises a pivot element (6) connected to the respective end of the slat (2) and a locking element (7) located vertically in the guide profile ( 5). Roller shutter according to claim 2, characterized in that the turning element (6) engages the locking element (7) in the retracted position. Roller shutter according to claim 3, characterized in that an opening angle between the turning element (6) and the locking element (7) can be varied. Roll roller according to claim 4, characterized in that an adjustable stop element is provided for varying the angle of the turning element and / or the locking element. Rolling roller according to claim 3, characterized in that an opening angle between the turning element (6) and the locking element (7) is fixedly defined. Roll roller according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that a spreading element is provided for holding the turning element (6) in the open position. Roll roller according to claim 7, characterized in that the spreading element is a spring (8) extending around the pivot axis (6) and the legs of which are firmly connected to the turning element (6) or the locking element (7). Roller shutter according to one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that the pivot axis (6) passes through the locking element (7) and at the end has a pivotally connected arm (9) which lies in the retracted position in the plane of the curtain (1). Roll roller according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one magnet (M1) is arranged in or on the arm (9). Roll roller according to claim 9, characterized in that the arm is designed as a magnet. Roll roller according to one of claims 2 to 11, characterized in that a magnet (M1) is provided in the upper region of the rotating element (6). A roller shutter according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the additional magnets (M3, M4) for operating the magnets (M1, M2) are mounted on a slidable carriage (10). Roller shutter according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the additional magnets are formed by a plurality of electromagnets arranged in or on the guide profile and which can be actuated by means of a suitable control unit for opening any slats or slats. or polverse. Roller shutter according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein inlet funnels (19) are provided over the guide profiles (5), characterized in that the additional magnets are formed by electromagnets arranged in the inlet funnels (19) by means of a suitable control unit (20) for opening any slats or slats can be activated or reversed. A roller shutter according to claim 13, characterized in that each carriage (10) comprises a magnet (M3) for opening and a magnet (M4) for closing individual slats (2) of the roller shutter. Roll roller according to claim 12 or 16, characterized in that the carriage (10) can be displaced vertically. Roll roller according to claim 15, characterized in that a magnet (M3) is arranged in each inlet hopper (19) and the control unit (20) is molded in the inlet hoppers (19). Roller shutter according to one of claims 2 to 18, characterized in that two locking elements (7) arranged above one another are pivotally connected to one another by means of a connecting element (13). A roller shutter according to claim 19, characterized in that the connecting element (13) comprises a long hole (14) for releasing or closing each of the immediately adjacent slats (2). A roller shutter according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the guide elements (4) are completely arranged within the guide profiles (5). A roller shutter according to one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the curtain (1) can be wound on a winding shaft (15). A roller shutter according to claim 22, characterized in that the slats (2), which may still be open, for coiling are forced closed by suitable guide or operating means (17) as they exit the vertical guide profile (5). Roll roller according to one of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that the slats (2) are roll-shaped. Roll roller according to one of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that the slats are extruded.