IL121172A - Shutter - Google Patents

Description

Shutter Field of the Invention The present invention concerns shutters and blinds for apertures in buildings in general, and to roll-type shutters in particular.

Background of the Invention Shutters, blinds and shields for windows - including shop-windows, doors, and other apertures in buildings serve several purposes. Firstly, they provide sheltering from external weather conditions such as rains, winds and the sun, and isolate the interiors of the buildings from penetration of heat, dust and pollution, or the leak from the interiors of heat, smells and even light (in cases of conceived blackout). Secondly, they provide an opaque screen that isolate the interiors from external peeping or unwelcome watch and accommodate the privacy of those inside the building. Thirdly, they provide protection against burglary and penetration of animals, birds, insects and the like and a safety measure against the falling of children and animals or escape of animal and birds from from inside the building through the aperture. In the fourth place, they provide the choice between an open and a closed aperture. Finally, they usually provide refinement by which the operator can choose the degree of exposing the aperture open. It is the third and the final goals to which this invention is mostly contributory, while all the other goals are still well met and even improved by the invention.

The roll-type shutters known in the art usually include horizontal slats that are arranged one above the other in series, whereby each slat is pivotally joined to the adjacent slats. The slats thus comprise a semi-flexible screen, that may be pulled and 14170002.003/G RL rolled about an axis which is usually disposed above the aperture. However, a major drawback of such conventional shutters concerns the inability to provide satisfactory refinement possibilities by which the operator can choose the degree of rendering the aperture open while retaining effective the protective and safety aspects of the shutter against external burglary or internal escape or falling. When a partial exposure of the aperture is desired, the shutter is partially rolled up and thus the aperture is no longer shielded against burglary or escape or falling. A partial solution to this is conventionally provided by small holes or crevices pierced along the upper edge of each slat. When the shutter is fully closed, the slats are laid crammed one upon another and the crevices in each slat are covered by the lower extending rims of the adjacent upper slat. When the shutter is slightly rolled up, each slat is slightly distanced from its neighboring slats and the crevices are so exposed and thus allow the penetration of some outside light and some fresh air into the building, without rendering the aperture open. Nevertheless, the crevices must be small so long as they are disposed in the slats and the penetration of light and fresh air is accordingly extremely limited.

Another drawback of conventional shutters concerns the curbed accessibility to the external faces of the slats from inside of the building for cleaning purposes. In the best case, the cleaner is required to partly roll up the shutter and therefore can clean only the lower slats which are not rolled up. In the worst case the shutter is too big and the operator cannot reach even unrolled slats except those that are proximate to the bottom of the shutter. Hence, effective cleaning usually require the dangerous job of approaching the shutter from the outside - a task that is either conducted only by professional window cleaners or simply never done at all.

It is therefore, an object of this invention, to provide a novel shutter for enclosing an aperture in a building of the type that is rolled up, that overcomes the disadvantages of conventional shutters known in the art. t 14170002.003/GNRL A particular object of this invention is to provide a shutter which allows refined degrees of rendering the aperture partially open while retaining full protection against burglary and penetration of animals, birds, insects and the like and a safety measure against the falling of children and animals or escape of animal and birds from inside the building through the aperture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shutter that will provide sheltering from external weather conditions such as rains, winds and the sun, and isolate the interiors of the buildings from penetration of heat, dust and pollution, or the leak from the interiors of heat, smells and even light (such as in cases of conceived blackout), and will provide an opaque screen that isolate the interiors from external peeping or unwelcome watch and accommodate the privacy of those inside the building.

A further object of this invention is to provide convenient accessibility from the inside of the building to the external surfaces of the shutter for cleaning purposes.

These and other objectives are provided by the invention to be described below.

Summary of the Invention There is thus provided according to the present invention a novel shutter for enclosing an aperture in a building of the type that is rolled up, the shutter comprising: a consecution of elongated horizontal slats pivotally connected in succession along the aperture so that the slats define a curtain of slats that may be pulled up and rolled about an axis; side joints for pivotally coupling the slats in succession, the joints allow 14170002.003/GNRL for the crammed arrangement of the slats one upon another when the shutter is fully closed, the joints allow for a limited gap to appear between each pair of adjacent slats when the curtain of slats is pulled up and rolled about an axis; and rolling means for pulling up and rolling the curtain of slats about an axis.

Preferably, the limited gaps may be smaller or absent in the upper part of the shutter and larger in the lower part of the shutter. Further preferably, the upper part of the shutter is defined by the number of slats that are in a rolled position, while the aperture is fully occupied by the curtain of slats comprised of the remaining lower slats with the limited gaps between them fully exposed.

Each slat may generally comprise a substantially flat rear and front faces, an upper and lower rims therealong, whereby for each pair of adjacent slats the upper rim of the lower slat is proximate to the lower rim of the upper slat and when the shutter is in fully closed position, for each pair of adjacent slats the upper rim of the lower slat is in engagement with the lower rim of the upper slat.

The shutter may further comprise side rails for guiding the slats along the aperture. The rolling means may comprise an electrical motor or a manual pulling device.

Preferably, each of the joints comprises an elongated bar having slits disposed therealong, the bar being pivotally connected to the lateral edges of a pair of adjacent slats by means of a rivet protruding from each the lateral edges of the slats, wherein two such rivets that are disposed in two adjacent slats, correspondingly, are loosely inserted through the slits of the joint, each rivet in one slit, and allow the free movement of the rivet along the slit in which the rivet is insert, respectively. Each bar may comprise either one slit for both rivets or two slits, one slit for each rivet inserted therethrough. 14170002.003/GNRL The rivet may comprise a flat or broadened head broader than the corresponding slit in which the rivet is inserted, to prevent disengagement of the bar and the rivet. The rivet may further comprise a broadened shoulder for spacing the bar from the edge, the shoulder of one rivet mounted on the edge of the slat is spaced further from the edge than the shoulder of the other rivet mounted in the same edge, so that two bars associated to the two rivets, correspondingly are always kept away from each other. The shoulder or the head may comprise an open ring, the ring being snap-fittedly attached to the rivet in a meshing round recess notched in the rivet. Optionally, the rivets are mounted in a bushing, the bushing being disposed in a meshing recess in the lateral edge of a slat. The shoulder may also comprise an extended protrusion in the bushing in the vicinity of the rivet.

The slat may comprises a substantially hollow beam, and may be manufactured from aluminum or plastic. Preferably, the slat comprises an inner face having a concave profile and an outer face having a convex profile. The curvature of the concave profile is preferably higher than the curvature of the convex profile. Optionally, the upper or lower rim of the slat comprises a tapered central flange, the other rim of the slat comprises two tapered lateral flanges defining a notch therealong, the notch is adapted to complementarily receive a similar tapered central flange of another such slat.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description below, given by way of example only. 14170002.003/GNRL Brief Description of the Invention The present invention will be further understood and appreciated from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the following enclosed drawings inwhich like numerals designate correspondingly analogous elements or sections throughout, and inwhich: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional shutter of the roll up type know in the prior art Figure 2 is a perspective view of a shutter constructed and operative in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 A is a schematic view of the of the embodiment of Figure 1 in a fully closed position; Figure 3B is a schematic view of the of the embodiment of Figure 1 in a slightly rolled up position; Figure 3C is a schematic view of the of the embodiment of Figure 1 in a partially rolled up position; Figure 3D is a schematic view of the of the embodiment of Figure 1 in a semi-open position; Figure 4A is a cross-sectional view of a preferable slat constructed and operative in conjunction with the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 4B is a perspective view of the edge of the slat of Figure 4 A; Figure 4C is a perspective view of the edges of two slats of the type shown in Figure 4A, in a fully crammed position; Figure 5A is a cross sectional view of a preferable bushing used in conjunction with the slat shown in Figure 4A; Figure 5B is a top view of the bushing of Figure 5 A; Figure 6A is a cross sectional view of one preferable elongated bar for short spacing between slats to be used in conjunction with the invention; 14170002.003/GNRL Figure 6B is a cross sectional view of one preferable elongated bar for long spacing between slats to be used in conjunction with the invention; Figure 7 is a perspective side view demonstrating the several elements of a preferable joint for connecting two adjacent slats according to the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention In reference to Figure 1, a typical conventional shutter 1 of the roll up type known in the prior art is shown in a partially rolled up position. The lower three slats 2 are laid crammed one upon another and crevices 3 in each slat are covered by the lower extending rims of the adjacent upper slat 2. Since the shutter is slightly rolled up, each slat 2 among the upper slats is slightly distanced from its neighboring slats and crevices 3 are so exposed and thus allow the penetration of some outside light and some fresh air into the building, without rendering the aperture open. Nevertheless, it will be appreciated by those vested in the art that crevices 2 must be small so long as they are disposed in slats 2 and the penetration of light and fresh air is accordingly extremely limited.

Referring now to Figures 2, there is shown a shutter 10 constructed and operative according to the invention. Shutter 10 for enclosing an aperture represented by its frame 11 in a building represented by its wall 13, as illustrated in Figures 3 A to 3D. Referring again to Figure 2, Shutter 10 comprises: a consecution of elongated horizontal slats 15 pivotally connected in succession along aperture 11 so that slats 15 define a curtain 17 of slats 15 that may be pulled up and rolled about an axis 19. Shutter 10 comprises side joints 21, shown in more detail in Figure 7 for pivotally coupling slats 15 in succession. 14170002.003/GNRL Joints 21 allow for the crammed arrangement of slats 15 one upon another, as in Figure 3 A when the shutter is fully closed. Joints 21 allow for a limited gap 23 to appear between each pair of adjacent slats 15 when curtain 16 of slats 15 is pulled up and rolled about axis 19, as illustrated in Figures 3B to 3D. It will be appreciated by those vested in the art that gaps 23 provide the necessary penetration of light and fresh air. The maximum widths of gaps 23 is defined by joints 21. as demonstrated, for instance, in Figure 3C.

It is apparent that the ratio between the widths of gaps 23 and the widths of slats 15 will define how much light and fresh air will be allowed to penetrate through shutter 10 while retaining full protection against burglary and penetration of animals, birds, insects and the like and a safety measure against the falling of children and animals or escape of animal and birds from inside building 13 through aperture 11. Gaps 23, so long as they are wide enough, also provide convenient accessibility from the inside of building 13 to the external surfaces of slats 15 for cleaning purposes. It was found that widths of about an inch are sufficient to this end.

It is understood that if curtain 16 of slats 15 is only slightly pulled up, merely the uppermost gap 23 is initially widened. A further such slight pull will eventually complete the opening of that uppermost gap 23 and the next adjacent upper most gap 23 will be initially widened. Figure 3B illustrates such partially pulled up shutter in which only the 3 uppermost gaps 23 ore wide open while the rest of the lower gaps 23 remain closed. Thus, the operator fully controls the degree by which the shutter is rendered partially open between the positions of Figures 3 A and 3C. Further pulling up of curtain 16 will expose aperture 11 fully wide open or partially wide open, as seen in Figure 3D. 14170∞2.003/GNRL Preferably, the limited gaps 23 are smaller, as in Figures 3C and 3D, or absent altogether in the upper part of shutter 10 and larger in the lower part of shutter 10. Such design will adapt for more compact and therefore efficient enrollment curtain 16 about axis 19. For this aim, the upper part of the shutter may be defined by the number of slats 15 that are in a rolled position, while aperture 11 is fully occupied by the curtain 16 of slats 15 comprised of the remaining lower slats 15 with the limited gaps 23 between them fully exposed, as in Figure 3C. This will ensure that no change is made to the full extent of exposure of gaps 23 and the choice of lesser extents.

The rolling means (not shown) employed for pulling up and rolling curtain 16 of slats 15 about axis 19 can be any known rolling means, such as an electrical motor or a manual pulling device.

In reference to Figure 2, the design of each slat 15 may preferably comprise substantially a flat rear face (not shown) and a flat front face 25, an upper rim 27 and a lower rim 29 therealong, whereby for each pair of adjacent slats 15 upper rim 27 of the lower slat 15 is proximate to lower rim 29 of the upper slat 15 and when shutter 10 is in fully closed position, as in Figure 3 A, for each pair of adjacent slats 15 upper rim 27 of the lower slat 15 is in engagement with the lower rim 29 of the upper slat 15.

Shutter 10 may further comprise side rails 31 for guiding slats 15 along the aperture. It will be appreciated that although shutter 10 is described with reference to a curtain 16 that is rolled and pulled up, shutter 10 may comprise a curtain that is pulled sideways and even pulled down, whereby friction means would substitute for the constant gravitational force exerted on the pulled up design. 14170002.003/GNRL In reference to Figures 2 and 7, each of joints 21 comprises an elongated bar 33 having slits 35 disposed therealong, as also seen in Figure 6B. Bar 33 is pivotally connected to the lateral edges 41 of a pair of adjacent slats 15 by means of a rivet 43 protruding from each of lateral edges 41. Two such rivets 43 that are disposed in two adjacent slats 15, correspondingly, are loosely inserted through slits 35, each rivet 43 in one slit 35, and allow the free movement of rivet 43 along slit 35 in which rivet 43 is insert, respectively. Each bar 33 may comprise either one slit 35 for both rivets 43 by removal of partition 39 or two slits 35, one slit 35 for each rivet 43 inserted therethrough. However, it may be preferable to have such partition in order to avoid unnecessary tangling of bars 33. Bar 33 may be shortened as in Figure 6A, so as to define narrower gaps 23 in the upper part of curtain 16, as explained above.

Rivet 43 may comprise a flat or broadened head 45 broader than the corresponding slit 35 in which rivet 43 is inserted, to prevent disengagement of bar 33 and rivet 43. Rivet 43 may further comprise a broadened shoulder 47 for spacing bar 33 from edge 41. The shoulder 47 of rivet 43 mounted on the same edge 41 of a slat 15 is spaced further from edge 41 than shoulder 47 of the other rivet 43 mounted in the same edge 41, so that two bars 33 associated to the two rivets 41, correspondingly are always kept away from each other. Shoulder 47 and/or head 45 may comprise an open ring 49, the ring being snap-fittedly attached to rivet 43 in a meshing round recess (not shown) notched in rivet 43. Optionally, rivets 43 are mounted in a bushing 51, as also shown in Figures 5A-5B. Bushing 51 is disposed in a meshing recess 53 (Figure 4 A) in lateral edge 41 of a slat 15. Shoulder 47 may comprise an extended protrusion 55 in bushing 51 in the vicinity of rivet 43.

Slat 15 may comprises a substantially hollow beam, as in Figures 4A-4C, and may be manufactured from aluminum or plastic. Preferably, slat comprises an inner face 57 having a concave profile and an outer face 59 having a convex profile. 14170002.003/G RL The curvature of the concave face 57 is preferably higher than the curvature of the convex face 59. The focus of concave profile 57 may be biased toward the upper rim 29 of slat 15 further than the focus of convex profile 59. With such structure, it will be appreciated that when curtain 16 is rolled around axis 19 in a spiral winding configuration, the upper part of slat 15 will be narrower than the lower part of slat 15, and therefore will fit better to the gradually increasing radius of winding.

Preferably, the upper rim 29 of slat 15 comprises a tapered central flange 61, and rim 27 of slat 15 comprises two tapered lateral flanges 63 defining a notch 65 therealong. Notch 65 is adapted to complementarily receive a similar tapered central flange 61 of another such slat 15, as best seen in Figure 4C.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to what has been shown and described hereinabove by way of example only. Rather, the invention is limited solely by the claims which follow. 14170002.003/GNRL

Claims (25)

- 12 - 121172/2 Claims

1. A shutter for enclosing an aperture in a building of the type that is rolled up, the shutter comprising: (a) a consecution of elongated horizontal slats pivotally connected in succession along said aperture so that said slats define a curtain of slats that may be pulled up and rolled about an axis; (b) side joints for pivotally coupling said slats in succession, said joints allow for the crammed arrangement of the slats one upon another when said shutter is fully closed, said joints allow for a limited gap to appear between each pair of adjacent slats when said curtain of slats is pulled up and rolled about an axis; and (c) rolling means for pulling up and rolling said curtain of slats about an axis.

2. A shutter as in claim 1, further comprising side rails for guiding said slats along said aperture.

3. A shutter as in claim 1, wherein said rolling means comprise an electrical motor.

4. A shutter as in claim 1, wherein said rolling means comprise a manual pulling device.

5. A shutter as in claim 1, wherein each of said joints comprises an elongated bar having slits disposed therealong, the bar being pivotally connected to the lateral edges of a pair of adjacent slats by means of a rivet protruding from each said lateral edges of the slats, wherein two such rivets that are disposed in two adjacent slats, correspondingly, are loosely inserted through the slits of said joint and allow the free movement of said rivet along the slit in which the rivet is insert, respectively. 14170002.003/G RL - 13 - 121172/2

6. A bar as in claim 5, wherein each bar comprises one slit for both rivets inserted therethrough.

7. A bar as in claim 5, wherein each bar comprises two slits, one slit for each rivet inserted therethrough.

8. A rivet as in claim 5, wherein said rivet comprises a flat or broadened head broader than the corresponding slit in which said rivet is inserted.

9. A head as in claim 9 comprising an open ring, the ring being snap-fittedly attached to said rivet in a meshing round recess notched in said rivet.

10. A shutter as in claim 5, wherein said rivets are mounted in a bushing, the bushing being disposed in a meshing recess in the lateral edge of a slat.

11. A rivet as in claim 5, wherein said rivet comprises a broadened shoulder for spacing said bar from said edge, the shoulder of one rivet mounted on the edge of said slat is spaced further from said edge than the shoulder of the other rivet mounted in the same edge, so that two bars associated to said two rivets, correspondingly are always kept away from each other.

12. A shoulder as in claim 11 comprising an open ring, the ring being snap-fittedly attached to said rivet in a meshing round recess notched in said rivet.

13. A Shutter as in claim 11, wherein said rivets are mounted in a bushing, the bushing being disposed in a meshing recess in the lateral edge of a slat, and wherein said shoulder comprises an extended protrusion in said bushing in the vicinity of said rivet. 14170002.003/GNRL - 14 - 121172/2

14. A shutter as in claim 1, wherein said limited gaps are smaller or absent in the upper part of the shutter and larger in the lower part of said shutter.

15. A shutter as in claim 13, wherein said upper part of the shutter is defined by the number of slats that are in a rolled position, while said aperture is fully occupied by the curtain of slats comprised of the remaining lower slats with the limited gaps between them fully exposed.

16. A slat as in claim 1, wherein said slat comprises a substantially hollow beam.

17. A slat as in claim 1, wherein said slat comprises an aluminum beam.

18. A slat as in claim 1, wherein said slat comprises a plastic beam.

19. A slat as in claim 1, wherein said slat comprises an inner face having a concave profile and an outer face having a convex profile.

20. A slat as in claim 19, wherein the curvature of said concave profile is higher than the curvature of said convex profile.

21. A slat as in claim 19, wherein the focus of concave profile may be biased toward the upper rim of said slat further than the focus of said convex profile.

22. A slat as in claim 1, wherein the upper rim of said slat comprises a tapered central flange, the lower rim of said slat comprises two tapered lateral flanges defining a notch therealong, the notch is adapted to complementarily receive a similar tapered central flange of another such slat. 14170001003/GNRL - 15 - 121172/2

23. A slat as in claim 1, wherein the lower rim of said slat comprises a tapered central flange, the upper rim of said slat comprises two tapered lateral flanges defining a notch therealong, the notch is adapted to complementarily receive a similar tapered central flange of another such slat.

24. A shutter for enclosing an aperture in a building of the type that is rolled up, the shutter comprising: (a) a consecution of elongated horizontal slats pivotally connected in succession along said aperture so that said slats define a curtain of slats that may be pulled up and rolled about an axis, each slat generally comprises a substantially flat rear and front faces, an upper and lower rims therealong, wherein for each pair of adjacent slats the upper rim of the lower slat is proximate to the lower rim of the upper slat; (b) side joints for pivotally coupling said slats in succession, said joints allow for the crammed arrangement of the slats one upon another when said shutter is fully closed, so that for each pair of adjacent slats the upper rim of the lower slat is in engagement with the lower rim of the upper slat, said joints allow for a limited gap to appear between each pair of adjacent slats when said curtain of slats is pulled up and rolled about an axis; and (c) means for pulling up and rolling said curtain of slats about an axis.

25. A shutter substantially comprising any and all features of novelty as described, referred to, exemplified, illustrated or shown, hereinabove or in the accompanying drawings. 14170002.003/O RL