The present disclosure relates to a shutter cover kit. The kit is useful for changing the decorative appearance of window shutters and/or building structures have such shutters.
Window shutters are generally rectangular platforms that are present on one or more sides of a window. They can be swiveled to cover or protect a window, such as against an approaching storm, to shield out sunlight, etc. In other embodiments, the shutters can be stationary and are present mainly for ornamental purposes. Window shutters are usually made of wood, fiberglass, metal, or composite materials, and usually have a single color. The appearance of the window shutter generally does not change except for aging or when a new coating of paint, stain, etc. is applied.
The size of window shutters varies for different reasons. Generally, window shutters have a width of 12 inches to 18 inches; a length of up to six feet long, and a thickness of 0.75 inches to 1.5 inches.
It is desirable to develop and provide a shutter cover and/or a kit comprising the same for enhancing the visual representation of the shutter and/or the building structure associated therewith.
The present disclosure is directed, in various exemplary embodiments, to shutter covers for use on window shutters and kits including such shutter covers. The shutter cover allows the appearance of the window shutter to be reversibly changed.
In some embodiments, a shutter cover kit comprises an attachment member, a rectangular shutter cover, and at least one securing member. The attachment member comprises a back wall, a front wall, and a top wall located between the back wall and the front wall, the top wall comprising a first pile. The rectangular shutter cover has a top edge, a bottom edge, and a front display surface. The top edge comprises a second pile. The bottom edge comprises a pocket that contains a weighted member and is adapted so that the weighted member cannot be removed from the pocket. The bottom edge of the shutter cover further comprises a tab that extends from a side of the shutter cover and comprises a pile of hook elements or a pile of loop elements. The front display surface comprises a decorative or graphic display. The securing member comprises a dorsal wall, a ventral wall, and a bottom wall located between the dorsal wall and the ventral wall. Either (i) the first pile is a pile having loop elements and the second pile is a pile having hook elements; or (ii) the first pile is a pile having loop elements and the second pile is a pile having hook elements.
In other embodiments, a shutter cover kit comprises an attachment member and a shutter cover. The shutter cover has a top edge, a bottom edge, and a front display surface. The top edge comprises a means for affixing the shutter cover to the attachment member. The bottom edge comprises at least one means for securing the location of the shutter cover relative to an associated window shutter or an associated securing member.
The means for securing may be selected from the group consisting of a pocket adapted to contain an associated weighted member, an adhesive tab, a tab with a pile of hook elements, and a tab with a pile of loop elements.
In some embodiments, the pocket runs substantially along the width of the shutter cover. The pocket may also be adapted so that the weighted member cannot be removed from the pocket.
The means for affixing may comprise a pile selected from the group consisting of a pile having loop elements and a pile having hook elements. The means for affixing can also be a screw, rivet, magnet, or magnetically attracted substrate.
In additional embodiments, either (i) the means for affixing can comprise a pile having loop elements and the attachment member comprises a pile having hook elements; or (ii) the attachment member can comprise a pile having loop elements and the means for affixing comprises a pile having hook elements.
The attachment member may comprise a back wall, a front wall, and a top wall located between the back wall and the front wall.
In embodiments where the kit comprises the securing member, either (i) the means for securing can comprise a pile having loop elements and the securing member comprises a pile having hook elements; or (ii) the securing member can comprise a pile having loop elements and the means for securing comprises a pile having hook elements.
The securing member may comprise a dorsal wall, a ventral wall, and a bottom wall located between the dorsal wall and the ventral wall. In further embodiments, the bottom wall defines a containment distance; a grabbing distance is defined by the closest distance between the dorsal wall and the ventral wall measured parallel to the bottom wall; and the grabbing distance is less than the containment distance. In alternative embodiments, the ventral wall is shaped so that the point of the ventral wall which is furthest from the bottom wall is not the point of the ventral wall which is closest to the dorsal wall.
The shutter cover may be rectangular. The front display surface may include a decorative or graphic display. The shutter cover may also comprise a material selected from the group consisting of polyester, a woven fabric, a fused fabric, a plastic material, and a paper material.
In other embodiments, a shutter cover kit comprises: an attachment member; a shutter cover having a top edge, a bottom edge, and a front display surface, the top edge comprising a means for affixing the shutter cover to the attachment member; and a securing member for attaching the bottom edge of the shutter cover to an associated window shutter.
The attachment member may comprise a back wall, a front wall, and a top wall located between the back wall and the front wall, the top wall being adapted to attach to the means for affixing.
The securing member may comprise a dorsal wall, a ventral wall, and a bottom wall located between the dorsal wall and the ventral wall, wherein the ventral wall is shaped so that the point of the ventral wall which is furthest from the bottom wall is not the point of the ventral wall which is closest to the dorsal wall.
The bottom edge of the shutter cover may further comprise a pocket that contains a weighted member, the pocket being adapted so that the weighted member cannot be removed from the pocket. The bottom edge of the shutter cover may also comprise a tab extending from the side of the shutter cover.
In still other embodiments, a shutter cover kit comprises an attachment member and two shutter covers, each having a top edge, a bottom edge, and a front display surface, wherein the top edge comprises a means for affixing the shutter cover to the attachment member, the bottom edge comprises at least one means for securing the location of the shutter cover relative to an associated window shutter or an associated securing member, and the front display surface includes a graphic display thereon. The graphic display of one shutter cover may be the same as, or differ from, the graphic display of the other shutter cover.
In some embodiments, a method for decorating a building having window shutters is disclosed, comprising: providing a shutter cover; and attaching the shutter cover to the top of an associated window shutter so that the shutter cover at least partially covers the outer surface of the associated window shutter.
In other embodiments, a method for decorating a building having window shutters is disclosed, comprising: providing a shutter cover and an attachment member; attaching the attachment member to the top of an associated window shutter; and attaching the shutter cover to the attachment member so that the shutter cover at least partially covers the outer surface of the associated window shutter.
These and other non-limiting characteristics of the disclosure are more particularly disclosed below.
The following is a brief description of the drawings, which are presented for the purposes of illustrating the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein and not for the purposes of limiting the same.
A more complete understanding of the shutter cover system or kit can be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings. These figures are merely schematic representations based on convenience and the ease of demonstrating the present disclosure, and are, therefore, not intended to indicate relative size and dimensions of the devices or components thereof and/or to define or limit the scope of the present disclosure. In particular, some components are defined in relative terms, e.g. “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back,” etc. These relative terms are used for ease of description and should not be construed as limiting the components.
Referring to
The shutter cover can be made from various types of materials. In one embodiment, the edges may be sewn with a quarter-inch baby hem around the entire perimeter. The dimensions of the shutter cover 20 will vary so as to fit the individual shutter and may be adjustable in length by cutting, sewing, folding, clipping, or using adhesives or otherwise shortening the bottom edge 26.
The shutter cover 20 may be made from fabrics and related materials (e.g. polyester, plastic sheeting, coated paper, woven fabrics, fused fabrics, etc.) that are preferably weather-resistant, tear-resistant, have a high UV rating, are strong, and/or have good colorfastness. The shutter cover can be transparent, semi-transparent, translucent, or solid.
The shutter cover 20 may have a graphic display of decorative patterns and/or text on at least a front display surface 25. It should be appreciated that essentially any type of visual decorative or artistic representation including particular color schemes, drawings, paintings, stencils, prints, ribbons, cut-outs, designs, arrangements, etc can be included on the cover. For example, the graphic display may be based on holiday or seasonal themes. Similarly, the covers may include logos, trademarks, or other indicia from sports franchises or schools in the same community, such as CLEVELAND BROWNS, CLEVELAND INDIANS, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS, and THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY. In some embodiments, a decorative or graphic display may also be included on a rear display surface 27. This could be helpful for irregularly shaped windows that have shutters of different shapes.
In some embodiments, along the top edge 24, the shutter cover 20 further comprises a pocket 28 (see
In some specific embodiments, the shutter cover 20 has a width 60 of 15 inches, plus or minus a quarter-inch, and a length 61 of 74 inches after the pocket 28 is formed. In other specific embodiments, the pocket 28 has a height of 3 and one-half inches. In other embodiments, the shutter cover 20 has a length of from about 72 inches to about 76 inches.
In other embodiments, as shown in
In other embodiments, as shown in
The attachment member 30 can vary in size so as to fit the associated window shutter 40. In specific embodiments, the attachment member is about 14 inches to about 16 inches in length (note that the length of the attachment member is along the same axis as the width of the shutter cover), including about 15 inches. The attachment member can be made of varying plastic materials and in particular can be made from poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC).
If desired, the bottom edge 26 of the shutter cover can further comprise a means for securing 80 the shutter cover to the window shutter or a securing member 50. For examples, as shown in
Also as shown in
The bottom edge 26 can hang freely or be secured to the bottom of the associated window shutter 40. In
As shown in
As shown in
The securing member 50 can also be made from various plastic materials (such as PVC) and have varying dimensions. The securing member 50 is desirably transparent. They may have a length of about 2 inches. A plurality of securing members can be included in the kit. Unlike the attachment member, it is better to use multiple short securing members because they will not be pulled off by their own weight.
The shutter cover 20 and attachment member 30 may be integrally attached to each other as sold to the end-user or may be assembled together by the end-user. The shutter cover kit can include the shutter cover 20, attachment member 30, and/or securing member 50, in varying numbers as well. For example, a shutter cover kit may include two shutter covers, two attachment members, and two or four securing members.
Several specific embodiments of shutter cover kits are contemplated. In some embodiments, the shutter cover kit comprises a rectangular shutter cover, an attachment member, and at least one securing member. The shutter cover comprises a first pile along the top edge. The bottom edge of the shutter cover comprises a pocket containing a weighted member sewn into it and a tab having a pile upon it. The attachment member has three walls and a second pile on the top wall. The first pile and second pile are complementary and together form a hook-and-loop system. The pile on the tab can comprise either hook elements or pile elements. The securing member comprises a dorsal wall, a ventral wall, and a bottom wall located between the dorsal wall and the ventral wall. The kit may further comprise a second securing member, which is a pile complementary to the pile on the tab.
In other embodiments, the shutter cover kit comprises a rectangular shutter cover and an attachment member. The shutter cover comprises a means for affixing the shutter cover to an associated attachment member and a pocket for a weighted member. A securing member is not necessarily needed for these embodiments because the weighted member generally fixes the position of the shutter cover on the bottom. The kit may further comprise the weighted member.
In other embodiments, the shutter cover kit comprises a rectangular shutter cover and an attachment member. The shutter cover comprises a means for affixing the shutter cover to an associated attachment member and tabs along the bottom edge for attaching the shutter cover to an associated window shutter. A securing member and weighted member is not necessarily needed for these embodiments because the tabs generally fix the position of the shutter cover on the bottom.
In other embodiments, the shutter cover kit comprises a rectangular shutter cover, an attachment member, a weighted member, and at least one securing member. The shutter cover comprises a means for affixing the shutter cover to an associated attachment member. The securing member is used to secure the bottom edge of the shutter cover.
In other embodiments, the shutter cover kit comprises a rectangular shutter cover, an attachment member, a weighted member, and at least one securing member. The shutter cover comprises a means for affixing the shutter cover to an associated attachment member along the top edge and a pocket for the weighted member along the bottom edge.
In other embodiments, the shutter cover kit comprises two rectangular shutter covers, two attachment members, and a plurality of securing members. The shutter cover, attachment member, and securing member may be as described above.
The shutter cover system or kit may be used or applied to shutters on any building, such as a house. It provides a simple and easy way to decorate the building or house. Any decorative design can be printed on the shutter cover and used. A number of non-limiting examples are shown in
In
In
The decorative shutter cover kit may further include a plurality of interchangeable covers for at least partially surrounding the outer surface of the cover. The additional interchangeable covers may be similar in all aspects except for the graphic display depicted thereon. For example, the decorative shutter cover kit can have interchangeable covers reflective of different seasons, holidays, athletic seasons, etc.
Other types of decoration for the graphic display of the shutter cover are also contemplated. For example, glow-in-the-dark or iridescent ink, paint, or applique could be incorporated. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or other lights might be used. Metallic or fiber-optic materials could also be incorporated. A pop-out object might extend from the shutter cover. Separable bonding systems, such as VELCRO™, might be placed on the shutter cover to allow items to be moved around as desired by the end-user or consumer. Sensors, such as motion sensors or noise sensors, could be included to trigger certain events, such as spooky noises, upon detection of people in proximity, such as Halloween trick-or-treaters. Additional equipment, such as a power supply (battery or solar), could be included in the shutter cover kit for such embodiments.
The shutter cover kit can be installed by affixing the attachment member to the top of the window shutter. If the shutter is chalked or too tightly attached to the structure, the attachment member will simply not extend behind the window shutter. The shutter cover is then attached to the attachment member. The bottom of the shutter cover is rolled up if necessary to match the height of the window shutter and secured to the window shutter, either using the means for securing or by using the securing member.
The present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the present disclosure be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/915,225, filed May 1, 2007, which is hereby fully incorporated by reference herein.
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