Patent Application
20090120000
The present invention relates to the field of louvres for windows and doorways. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shutter assembly that can have several separate groups of louvres. The groups of louvres in the assembly can be operated by tilt control bars either individually, or all groups in unison.
A shutter assembly comprises a frame and a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal louvres that are rotatably adjustable. Generally, such shutter assemblies have a rectangular frame comprised of vertically and horizontally spaced side rails. The vertical side rails have a plurality of horizontal louvres rotatably mounted between them. The tilt of the louvres can be adjusted and rotated between a closed position, in which the louvres overlap, and an opened position, in which the louvres are spaced apart. The louvres are opened and closed in unison with one another by a tilt control bar attached to the front edges of the louvres by a link. The control bar keeps the louvres uniformly oriented and adjusts the louvres in unison. If a shutter assembly has several separate groups of louvres, each of the groups of louvres has an individual louvre tilt control bar that opens and closes all louvres in the group in unison. In such multi-group shutter construction, each group of louvres can be opened and closed individually by the tilt control bar of that group without affecting tilt of the louvres in other groups. Such a multi-group shutter assembly is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,012 B1.
The use of the individual tilt control bar for each of the groups in a multi-group shutter assembly has a significant disadvantage. Thus, there is a need for a shutter assembly that includes a mechanism for adjusting tilt of all the louvres in the multi-group shutter assembly in unison, while alternatively allowing for individual tilt control of the groups of louvres in separate groups of multi-group assembly. This need may be addressed by providing a connector that connects and disconnects the tilt control bars of the separate groups of louvres. When the tilt control bars of the separate groups of louvres are connected together by a connector, the tilt of all groups of the louvres in a multi-group shutter assembly is adjusted in unison. When the tilt control bars of separate groups of louvres are disconnected, the tilt of each group of the louvres is adjusted separately from the other groups of louvres. Such a connector for a shutter assembly should have a clean, uncluttered appearance and should be a mechanism that is relatively simple to construct.
The present invention provides a shutter assembly with a frame with at least two groups of louvres and at least two tilt control bars to adjust the tilt position of louvres in a multi-group shutter assembly either separately or in unison. More specifically, the present invention comprises a shutter assembly having a rectangular frame, at least two groups of louvres, tilt control bars for each group of louvres and a connector device that connects and disconnects the tilt control bars of separate groups of louvres. When the tilt control bars of individual groups of louvres are disconnected, the tilt of each group of the louvres is adjusted separately from the other groups of louvres. When the tilt control bars are connected together by the connector device, the tilt of all groups of the louvres in a multi-group shutter assembly is adjusted in unison.
Preferably the tilt control bar is attached to the front edge of each louvre via a link. Usefully, inside the tilt control bar are two rail receiving openings and two tubes that extend from the bottom end to the top end of the tilt control bar.
More particularly, the rail receiving openings of the tilt control bar receive the connector device. Usefully, the tubes of the tilt control bar house the push-pull pins which release the connector device.
Usefully, the connector device consists of a median dividing plate, two pairs of upper and lower rails and two upper and lower flexible tongues.
Each side of the dividing plate provides support for a pair of rails and a flexible tongue located between the rails.
Usefully, each of the two flexible tongues of the connector device has a cylindrical head. Preferably, Each cylindrical head has a ramp surface sloping approximately at about 45 degrees from the point that is closer to the dividing plate to the point that is further from the dividing plate.
Preferably, The connector device is removably seated in the rail receiving openings of one of the tilt control bars of the multi-group shutter assembly.
The two rails of the connector device can freely slide into the two rail receiving openings of the tilt control bar. To connect two different tilt control bars in a multi-group shutter assembly, the rails of the connector device are inserted in to the two rail receiving openings of the tilt control bar in the multi-group shutter assembly. The rails of the connector device are sliding in the rail receiving openings of the tilt control bar until the ramp surface of the cylindrical head of the flexible tongue reaches a notch and locks in it. The cylindrical head of the flexible tongue serves as a latch. A notch has a push-pull finger sited in the finger opening. The cylindrical head of the flexible tongue pushes the push-pull finger outward in the finger opening when the cylindrical head of the flexible tongue reaches a notch and locks in it. The cylindrical head of the flexible tongue serves as a latch.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with more particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.
A multi-group shutter assembly (10) shown on FIG. (1), in accordance with an embodiment of invention, is shown installed in a window frame (12). In the context of this patent description, the terms “shutter” and “blind” may be used interchangeably. Although the description which follows discloses the invention as installed in a window frame (12), it should be understood that the multi-group shutter assembly (10) with minor modifications can be installed in a doorway. The multi-group shutter assembly (10) has a rectangular frame comprised of a pair of vertically opposed side rails (14) and a pair of horizontally opposed side rails (16), as shown on
The tilt control bar (24) is shown in
The vertical cross section of the tilt control bar (24) along the intermediate partition wall (34) is shown in the
The push-pull finger (48) is shown on
The connector device (56) is shown in
The present invention is applicable to joining of two tilt control bars by connector device (56). The connector device (56) enables a person to connect or disconnect two tilt control bars. In this way its possible to adjust the tilt of two or more groups of louvres (18) in a multi-group shutter assembly (10) either each group separately or all groups in unison.
To adjust the tilt of all the louvres (18) in the multi-group shutter assembly (10) in unison, the tilt control bars (24) of the separate groups of the louvres (18) are connected together by the connector device (56). The connector device (56) is removably located in a one of the tilt control bars (24). To connect two tilt control bars (24) of two separate groups of louvres in a multi-group shutter assembly (10), the rails (60) of the connector device (56) are inserted into the rail receiving openings (40) of the tilt control bar (24) of another group of louvres. The rails (60) of the connector device (56) slide in the rail receiving openings (40) of the tilt control bar (24) until the ramp surface of the cylindrical head (72) of the flexible tongue (62) reach the notch (44) and locks in it. The cylindrical head (72) of the flexible tongue (62) serves as a latch. The cylindrical head (72) of the flexible tongue (62) pushes the push-pull finger (48) outward in the finger opening (42) when the cylindrical head (72) locks in the notch (44). The two tilt control bars (24) become connected and able to adjust in unison the tilt of the louvres (18) of the multi-group shutter assembly (10).
To control the tilt of the louvres (18) in the separate groups of the multi-group shutter assembly (10) individually, the tilt control bars (24) of the separate groups of louvres (18) are disconnected. To disconnect the tilt control bars (24), the push-pull finger (48) in the second tilt control bar (24) is pushed inward through the finger opening (42) towards the cylindrical head (72) of the flexible tongue (62) of the connector device (56). The push-pull finger (48) reaches the sloping surface (74) of the cylindrical head (72) of the flexible tongue (62) and deflects the cylindrical head (72) of the flexible tongue (62). The cylindrical head (72) of the flexible tongue (62) leaves the notch (44) and unlocks the connector device (56). The rails (60) of the connecter device (56) are pulled out of the rail receiving openings (40) of the second tilt control bar (24). The two tilt control bars (24) of a multi-group shutter assembly (10) become disconnected. The two tilt control bars (24) become disconnected and able individually adjust the tilt of each group of the louvres (18) of the multi-group shutter assembly (10).
The above is a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which is given here by way of example only. The invention is not to be taken as limited to any of the specific features as described, but comprehends all such variations thereof as come within the scope of the appended claims.
