SHUTTER ASSEMBLY

• US 20160032642A1
• Filed: 07/28/2015
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries B.V. (Hunter Douglas N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries B.V. (Hunter Douglas N.V.)
• Inventors: Rotchell, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 9,732,553 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/086 interconnected for concurrent movement
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/09 mounted in movable wing, e.g. door
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/094 operable in sequence; characterised by additional independent movement
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/096 operated or interconnected by gearing wing operators with gearing in general E05F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses

Abstract

A shutter assembly including a plurality of shutter panels arranged side-by-side. Each shutter panel has a respective plurality of louvers and a respective operable tilt mechanism configured to adjust the tilt angle of the respective plurality of louvers. A control shaft operates the tilt mechanisms. The control shaft is configured to drive simultaneously the respective tilt mechanisms of all of the plurality of shutter panels.

Claims

1. A shutter assembly including:

a plurality of shutter panels arranged side-by-side, each shutter panel having a respective plurality of louvers and a respective operable tilt mechanism configured to adjust the tilt angle of the respective plurality of louvers; and

a control shaft for operating the tilt mechanisms;

wherein;

the control shaft is configured to drive simultaneously the respective tilt mechanisms of all of the plurality of shutter panels.

2. A shutter assembly according to claim 1 further including a plurality of respective actuators for the plurality of respective shutter panels, each respective actuator operatively engageable with the respective tilt mechanism and all of the respective actuators operable by the control shaft to drive the respective tilt mechanisms.

3. A shutter assembly according to claim 2 further including a plurality of respective gear mechanisms for converting rotational movement of the control shaft to translation of respective actuators.

4. A shutter assembly according to claim 2 wherein each respective actuator extends towards the respective shutter panel and is configured to translate parallel to a plane defined by the respective shutter panel and thereby drive the respective tilt mechanism.

5. A shutter assembly according to claim 2 wherein a respective tab of each respective tilt mechanism of each respective shutter panel extends towards a respective actuator for engagement therewith and is operable by the respective actuator to drive the respective tilt mechanism.

6. A shutter assembly according to claim 1 further including a plurality of respective clutches formed between the respective tilt mechanisms and the control shaft, each respective clutch allowing relative slip between the respective tilt mechanism and the control shaft.

7. A shutter assembly according to claim 2 further including one or both of:

a plurality of respective clutches between respective actuators and the control shaft; and

a plurality of respective clutches forming respective engagements between the respective tilt mechanisms and the respective actuators, each respective clutch allowing relative slip between the respective tilt mechanism and the respective actuator once a breakaway resistance has been overcome.

8. A shutter assembly according to claim 7 wherein each respective clutch or engagement or both includes at least one of a mechanical engagement, a magnetic engagement and an electro-magnetic engagement.

9. A shutter assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least one shutter panel of the plurality of shutter panels is pivotably supported and is pivotable from a closed position in which the at least one shutter panel defines a plane and an open position in which the at least one shutter panel at least partially extends from the plane;

and

wherein, when the at least one shutter panel is in a position pivoted from the closed position, the respective tilt mechanism of the at least one shutter panel is pivoted away from the control shaft so that the respective tilt mechanism of the at least one shutter panel is disengaged from the control shaft.

10. A shutter assembly according to claim 9 wherein each respective shutter panel has a respective connector configured to operably connect drive of the control shaft to the respective tilt mechanism when the respective shutter panel is in the closed position and configured to disconnect drive of the control shaft to the respective tilt mechanism when the respective shutter panel is in a position pivoted away from the closed position.

11. A shutter assembly according to claim 2 further including a frame supporting the plurality of shutter panels.

12. A shutter assembly according to claim 11 wherein the control shaft extends within a portion of the frame.

13. A shutter assembly according to claim 1 further including a motor configured to rotate the control shaft.

14. A shutter assembly according to claim 1 wherein each louver is tiltable about a respective longitudinal axis extending longitudinally along the louver and the louvers of a respective plurality of louvers are arranged in a side-by-side array with the respective longitudinal axes parallel.

15. A shutter assembly according to claim 1 wherein each respective shutter panel of the plurality of shutter panels includes a respective edge member and the respective tilt mechanism of the respective shutter panel is housed within the respective edge member.

16. A shutter assembly according to claim 10 wherein each respective connector includes one or both of a mechanical engagement and a magnetic engagement.

17. A shutter assembly according to claim 11 wherein the actuators extend from the frame towards the respective shutter panels.

18. A shutter assembly according to claim 13 wherein the motor is housed within the portion of the frame.

19. A shutter assembly according to claim 14 wherein each respective louver includes, at one longitudinal end of the respective louver, a respective louver gear rotatable with the respective louver about the respective longitudinal axis of the louver for tilting the louver and wherein each respective tilt mechanism includes a rack bar extending substantially perpendicular to the louvers of the respective plurality of louvers and engaging with the respective louver gears of the respective plurality of louvers such that the louvers of the respective plurality of louvers tilt together.