Claims
- 1. A shutter for covering an architectural opening, comprising:a substantially rectangular frame defining an inner perimeter, said frame including left and right vertical stiles and upper and lower horizontal cross rails; at least one of said cross rails defining a groove along its inner perimeter; and a light stop strip received in said groove and projecting inwardly a desired distance from said inner perimeter, said light stop strip having an outer mating surface, and said groove having an inner mating surface which receives said outer mating surface, and including means for adjusting the position of said light stop strip relative to said groove to permit adjustment of said desired distance.
- 2. A shutter for covering an architectural opening as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of said inner and outer mating surfaces defines teeth.
- 3. A shutter for covering an architectural opening as recited in claim 1, wherein both of said mating surfaces define teeth.
- 4. A shutter for covering an architectural opening as recited in claim 1, and further comprising a shim lying in said groove adjacent to said light stop strip to prevent said light stop strip from being pushed further into said groove.
- 5. A shutter for covering an architectural opening, comprising:a substantially rectangular frame defining an inner surface, said frame including left and right vertical stiles and upper and lower horizontal cross rails; a plurality of horizontally-oriented louvers, including one topmost louver; and a first plurality of pivot points defined on said stiles, said first plurality of pivot points being spaced apart at a first pitch spacing, and at least one additional pivot point defined on each of said stiles, said additional pivot point being spaced apart from the next adjacent pivot point at a second pitch spacing, which is different from said first pitch spacing.
- 6. A shutter for covering an architectural opening as recited in claim 5, and further comprising mounting strips mounted on the inner surfaces of said stiles, wherein said mounting strips define the pivot points.
- 7. A shutter for covering an architectural opening as recited in claim 6, wherein said louver mounting strips include projections which define said pivot points, and said louvers include corresponding holes which mate with said projections.
- 8. A shutter for covering an architectural opening as recited in claim 6, wherein said louver mounting strips define holes which define said pivot points, and said louvers include projections which mate with said holes.
- 9. A shutter for covering an architectural opening as recited in claim 6, wherein at least upper and lower mounting strips are mounted on each of said stiles, said upper mounting strips defining said first pitch spacing and said lower mounting strips defining said second pitch spacing.
- 10. A shutter for covering an architectural opening as recited in claim 6, wherein each of said stiles includes at least one mounting strip which defines at least two different pitch spacings.
- 11. A shutter for covering an architectural opening as recited in claim 5, wherein said substantially rectangular frame defines an inner perimeter, at least one of said cross rails defines a groove along its inner perimeter, and further comprisinga light stop strip received in said groove and projecting inwardly a desired distance from said inner perimeter, said light stop strip having an outer mating surface, and said groove having an inner mating surface which receives said outer mating surface, and comprising means to permit adjustment of the relative vertical positions of said light stop strip and said groove.
- 12. A shutter for covering an architectural opening, comprising:a substantially rectangular frame defining an inner surface, said frame including left and right vertical stiles and upper and lower horizontal cross rails; left and right mounting strips mounted on said left and right vertical stiles, said mounting strips defining a plurality of pivot points; a plurality of horizontally-oriented louvers mounted on said frame at said pivot points; means for biasing at least one of said mounting strips inwardly and for allowing said biased mounting strip to be moved outwardly against said biasing means a sufficient distance to permit said louvers to be mounted on and removed from said frame while said mounting strips remain mounted on their respective vertical stiles, and means for retaining said biased mounting strip on said frame so as to prevent it from separating from said frame upon the removal of said louvers.
- 13. A shutter for covering an architectural opening as recited in claim 12, and further comprising at least one spring, mounted between one of said vertical stiles and its respective mounting strip to provide said inward bias.
- 14. A shutter for covering an architectural opening as recited in claim 12, wherein at least one of said mounting strips has a U-shaped cross section and is compressed to provide said inward bias.
- 15. A shutter for covering architectural openings as recited in claim 12, and further comprising a resilient, compressed strip lying between at least one of said vertical stiles and its respective mounting strip to provide said inward bias.
- 16. A shutter for covering architectural openings as recited in claim 12, wherein said inwardly biased mounting strip further comprises at least one flexible member integral to said mounting strip, wherein said flexible member biases said mounting strip inwardly.
- 17. A shutter for covering architectural openings, comprising:left and right vertical stiles and upper and lower horizontal cross rails connected together to form a substantially rectangular frame defining an inner surface; left and right mounting strips mounted on said left and right vertical stiles, said mounting strips defining a plurality of pivot points having a first pitch spacing and at least one pair of pivot points having a second pitch spacing from the next adjacent pivot points; means for inwardly biasing at least one of said mounting strips; a plurality of horizontally-oriented louvers pivotably mounted on said frame at said pivot points; and upper and lower light stop strips mounted on said upper and lower horizontal cross rails, respectively, including means for adjusting the distances the light stop strips project inwardly from their respective cross rails.
- 18. A shutter for covering an architectural opening, comprising:a substantially rectangular frame defining an inner surface, said frame including left and right vertical stiles and upper and lower horizontal cross rails; left and right mounting strips mounted on said left and right vertical stiles, said mounting strips defining a plurality of pivot points, wherein at least one of said mounting strips is inwardly biased; at least one spring, mounted between one of said vertical stiles and its respective mounting strip to provide said inward bias; a plurality of horizontally-oriented louvers mounted on said frame at said pivot points; and retaining means for preventing the biased mounting strip from separating from its respective stile upon removal of said louvers.
- 19. A shutter for covering an architectural opening, comprising:a substantially rectangular frame defining an inner surface, said frame including left and right vertical stiles and upper and lower horizontal cross rails; left and right mounting strips mounted on said left and right vertical stiles, said mounting strips defining a plurality of pivot points, wherein at least one of said mounting strips is inwardly biased; a resilient, compressed strip lying between at least one of said vertical stiles and its respective mounting strip to provide said inward bias; a plurality of horizontally-oriented louvers mounted on said frame at said pivot points; and retaining means for preventing said biased mounting strip from separating from its respective stile upon removal of said louvers.
- 20. A shutter for covering an architectural opening, comprising:a substantially rectangular frame defining an inner surface, said frame including left and right vertical stiles and upper and lower horizontal cross rails; left and right mounting strips mounted on said left and right vertical stiles, said mounting strips defining a plurality of pivot points, wherein at least one of said mounting strips has a substantially U-shaped cross-section and includes an additional leg, integral with and resiliently projecting from said U-shaped cross-section, which biases said mounting strip inwardly; and a plurality of horizontally-oriented louvers mounted on said frame at said pivot points.
Parent Case Info
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/337,071 filed Dec. 4, 2001.
US Referenced Citations (16)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
B3-3787900 |
Aug 2000 |
AU |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
U.S. patent application 10/214,835; filed Aug. 8, 2002; Applicant Norbert Marocco. |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/337071 |
Dec 2001 |
US |