GB2370598A

GB2370598A - Louvre assemblies for mounting on buildings

Info

Publication number: GB2370598A
Application number: GB0031640A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Braybrook
Original assignee: Levolux AT Ltd
Current assignee: Levolux AT Ltd
Priority date: 2000-12-23
Filing date: 2000-12-23
Publication date: 2002-07-03
Anticipated expiration: 2020-12-23
Also published as: GB0031640D0; GB2370598B

Abstract

A louvre (louver) assembly for mounting on a building comprises a main louvre part 10, with which an extension panel 11 engages via a snap fitting arrangement. Supporting brackets 12 are connected to the main louvre part by a threaded fastening device (24, figure 3), which may be a nut and bolt. The main louvre part may incorporate a formation (15-17, figure 2) for holding the fixing device, whilst the device itself may engage with the mounting bracket by passing through an aperture therein. Part of the bracket may pivot with respect to its base (figure 4), altering the angle of the louvres and being held in place by a peg or bolt engaging with pre-formed holes in the base. The louvres may be manufactured from extruded aluminium and may be of an aerofoil shape. They can be mounted successively on many brackets to form a canopy and provide shade.

Description

LOUVRE ASSEMBLIES FOR MOUNTING ON BUILDINGS This invention relates to louvre assemblies for mounting on buildings and more particularly to louvre assemblies which are used as solar shading.

According to the present invention, there is provided a louvre assembly for mounting on buildings, comprising at least one main louvre part, at least two brackets for supporting the at least one main louvre part, at least one cover part snap fittable to the at least one main louvre part between the two brackets, and a threaded fastening device for securing each bracket to the main louvre part.

Preferred and/or optional features of the invention are set forth in claims 2 to 9, inclusive.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure I is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of a louvre assembly according to the present invention, Figure 2 is the section taken through a main louvre part and a cover part of

the louvre assembly, Figure 3 is the section taken through a main louvre part and a bracket of the louvre assembly on a larger scale, and Figure 4 is a side view of an alternative bracket.

Referring now to the drawings, the louvre assembly shown therein comprises one or more elongate main louvre parts 10, one or more elongate cover parts 11 which are snap fittable to the main louvre part (s) 10 and at least two brackets 12 (only one being shown).

The main louvre part (s) 10 and the cover part (s) 11 are extrusions, typically aluminium extrusions, and may be of any desired length, typically 6 metres and 3 metres, respectively.

The or each cover part 11 is generally shorter than the main louvre part (s) 10 so that it can clip to one or two main louvre parts 10 between two brackets 12.

As best shown in Figure 2, the main louvre part 10 and cover part 11 together define an aerofoil section. The main louvre part 10 has an internal elongate tooth 13 along each of its free edges and these teeth 13 snap fittably receive inwardly inclined

arms 14 at the free edges of the cover part 11 to clip the cover part 11 to the main louvre part 10.

The main louvre part 10 also has an elongate channel 15 extending along its length and two parallel wall portions 16,17 defining therebetween a space which communicates with the channel 15.

As best shown in Figure 3, each bracket has two arms 18 and 19 which together substantially define an aerofoil shape and two further arms 20 and 21 which allow the bracket to be attached to a building or to a support member on a building.

Each bracket 12 also has a cross arm 22 having an aperture 23 therein.

The free ends of the arms 18 and 19 of each bracket project between the elongate teeth 13 of the main louvre part 10 and a threaded fastening device in the form of a nut and bolt 24 and 25, respectively, is used to secure the main louvre part 10 to the bracket 12. The head of the bolt 25 is slidably received in and held captive by the channel 15 of the main louvre part 10 and the threaded stem of the bolt 24 extends between the wall portions 16 and 17 of the main louvre part and through the aperture 23 in the cross arm 22. The main louvre part 10 is then clamped to the bracket 12 by the nut 25, as shown, and this draws the free ends of the wall portions 16,17 of the main louvre part 10 into abutment with the cross arm 22.

Two or more brackets 12 can be used to support each main louvre part 10 and these brackets are spaced apart at intervals along the length of the main louvre part 10. In this case, the main louvre part 10 spans the width of the bracket 12 and adjacent main louvre parts 10 can abut or be arranged closely adjacent to one another (with a small expansion gap) to give the appearance of a continuous structure. It is, as an alternative, possible to provide a wider bracket with two side by side apertures to enable the free ends of two main louvre parts to be connected to that bracket.

Once the brackets 12 have been secured to the main louvre parts 10, the cover parts 11 can be clipped into place.

Figure 4 shows an alternative bracket 12'. This bracket comprises two parts 30 and 31. The part 30 is similar to the bracket 12 and the part 31 is generally"L" shaped and has two limbs 32 and 33. The part 30 is pivoted to the limb 32 of the bracket part 31 about a pivot axis 34. The limb 33 of the bracket part 31 and the arm 20'of the part 30 are arcuate with the centre of the arcs coincident with the pivot axis 34. The limb 33 has four circular apertures 35 joined together by slots 36 having a width less than the diameters of the apertures 35. A peg (not shown) on the arm 20' can be located in one of the apertures 35 and be moved into another aperture 35 by pivoting the part 30 relative to the part 31 and forcing the peg along one or more of the slots 36 to adjust the angle of the main and cover parts 10 and 11 relative to a building. The peg could be replaced with a bolt which extends through one of the apertures 35 and an aligned aperture in the arm 20'and which co-operates with a nut.

The embodiments described above are given by way of example only and various modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the main louvre part 10 and cover part 11 together may define a section that is other than aerofoil shaped.

Claims

1. A louvre assembly for mounting on buildings, comprising at least one main louvre part, at least two brackets for supporting the at least one main louvre part, at least one cover part snap fittable to the at least one main louvre part between the two brackets, and a threaded fastening device for securing each bracket to the main louvre part.

2. A louvre assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main louvre part has a channel for slidably receiving and holding captive a head of the fastening device.

3. A louvre assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein each bracket has an apertured arm through which a stem of the threaded fastening device extends.

4. A louvre assembly as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the main louvre part has two parallel projecting wall portions defining therebetween a space which communicates with said channel and through which a stem of the threaded fastening device extends.

5. A louvre assembly as claimed in claim 4 when dependent on claim 3, wherein the free ends of the projecting wall portions abut the apertured arm of the bracket.

6. A louvre assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the main louvre part and the cover part together define an aerofoil shape.

7. A louvre assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main louvre part and the cover part are extruded sections.

8. A louvre assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each threaded fastening device comprises a nut and a bolt.

9. A louvre assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each bracket comprises two parts pivotably adjustable relative to one another to allow for adjustment of the angle of the main and cover parts relative to a building.

10. A louvre assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.