Louver Drive System

• US 20180100310A1
• Filed: 10/03/2017
• Published: 04/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helmut Sprotofski, Ronald Kudla
• Original Assignee: Helmut Sprotofski, Ronald Kudla
• Inventors: Sprotofski, Helmut, Kudla, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 10,443,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 10/10 collapsible or extensible; metallic Florentine blinds; awnings with movable parts such as louvres; shutters E06B9/04; louvre windows E06B7/08
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/096 operated or interconnected by gearing wing operators with gearing in general E05F11/00

Abstract

This disclosure relates to the field of louver drive systems and methods for using the same.

Claims

1. A louver drive system comprising:

a load bearing shell (7);

an adjustable shell (6);

a louver (1); and

a louver drive mechanism comprising;

a bearing (2) affixed to the louver,

a hollow shaft (3) comprising a feather key (3a) and an anchor (3b)

hollow shaft (3) positioned within bearing (2),

a gear shaft (4) affixed to hollow shaft (3),

a gear box (5) affixed to the adjustable shell (6) to which the gear shaft (4) is rotatably affixed, and

a motor (12);

wherein;

the load bearing shell (7) and the adjustable shell (6) are adjoined to one another;

the feather key transmits rotation from the gear shaft (4) to bearing (2) and the louver (1); and

,

anchor (3b) secures hollow shaft to gear shaft (4).

2. The system of claim 1 comprising multiple adjustable shells (6) wherein at least one of the adjustable shells (6) comprises the louver drive mechanism attached thereto.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein gear shaft (4) is affixed to gear box (5) using a circlip (15).

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the louver (1) is comprises metal, plastic or wood.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the adjustable shell (6) comprises multiple gear boxes (5) adjoined to one another through a rotatable shaft (11).

6. The system of claim 1 wherein a gear transmission box (10) is attached to motor (12) and providing rotation to the rotatable shaft (11).

7. The system of claim 1 wherein load bearing shell (7) and the adjustable shell (6) are adjoined to one another by an adjustable internal threaded bolt.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the louver may rotate to an angle relative to parallel to the one or more adjustable shells (6), the angle being selected from the group consisting of between zero and 360 degrees, or about any of zero, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 135, 180, 315 and 360 degrees.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a weather sensor capable of rotating one or more louvers of the system in response to one or more weather conditions.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the one or more weather conditions is selected from the group consisting of sunlight, rain, temperature, wind speed and wind direction.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the one or more weather conditions is rain and a temperature of below 5°

C.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a manual control unit and/or an automatic control unit.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the manual and/or automatic control unit are operably linked to a computer.

14. A method for covering a surface with multiple louvers positioned above the surface using a system of claim 1.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the louvers shield the surface from one or more weather conditions.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the one or more weather conditions is selected from the group consisting of sunlight, rain, temperature, wind speed and wind direction.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the louvers are rotated from horizontal to a surface to a desired angle therefrom.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the louvers are rotated from horizontal to a surface to a desired angle therefrom at pre-set times.