Build-out dowels for rolling protective shutters

• US 8,490,670 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2010
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualitas Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Qualitas Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Miller, James V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, Katherine
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMSEY, JEREMY C
• Application Number:
  US12/692,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20100181029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 160/133, 160/238, 160/239, 160/266, 160/267.1, 160/268.1, 160/270, 160/371, 295/250.1, 403/223, 403/293, 49/57, 522/02
• US Class Current: 160/133
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/1566 Rigid elements, e.g. hinges, hooks or profiles
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/587 Mounting of guiding devices to supporting structure
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/17 Parts or details of roller shutters, e.g. suspension devices, shutter boxes, wicket doors, ventilation openings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

An improvement in a rolling shutter assembly for covering an opening of a structure having an external protective surface, an underlying support structure and a subsurface disposed therebetween. The rolling shutter assembly includes a shutter housing, a shutter support member rotatably disposed within the shutter housing, a shutter coupled to the shutter support member, and a pair of side tracks. The improvement includes a plurality of dowels and corresponding openings through the external protective surface configured to receive the dowels. The dowels are disposed between the subsurface of the wall and the side tracks when the rolling shutter assembly is installed to minimize the portion of the external protective surface that is removed to accommodate the installation of the shutter assembly.

Claims

1. A rolling shutter assembly for covering an opening in a wall of a structure having an external protective surface, an underlying support structure and a subsurface disposed therebetween, the assembly comprising:

a shutter housing;

a shutter support member rotatably disposed within the shutter housing;

a shutter coupled to the shutter support member;

a pair of side tracks, wherein lateral edges of the shutter are disposed within the side tracks when the shutter is unrolled to cover the opening, and wherein the side tracks engage the corresponding lateral edges of the shutter to retain the lateral edges within the side tracks;

a plurality of dowels each having a first end, and second end, a length, a diameter and a longitudinal opening extending therethrough, wherein the wall has a plurality of holes through the external protective surface on either side of opening configured to receive the first ends of the dowels so that the first ends of the dowels may be inserted into corresponding holes of the external protective surface, and wherein the side tracks each have holes therethrough corresponding to holes through the external protective surface such that the dowels and the corresponding holes through the side tracks and the external protective surface may be aligned when the first ends of the dowels are inserted into the holes through the external protective surface and the side tracks are disposed on either side of the opening at the second ends of the dowels; and

a plurality of fasteners, wherein each fastener is inserted through one of the holes through the side tracks and through the longitudinal opening of the corresponding one of the dowels disposed in a corresponding one of the holes through the external protective surface, and the plurality of fasteners directly engage at least one of the subsurface and the underlying support structure to secure the rolling shutter assembly around the opening of the wall.

2. A rolling shutter assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of fasteners directly engage the underlying support structure of the wall.

3. A rolling shutter assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the length of the dowels is at least equal to a maximum depth of the external protective surface of the wall.

4. A rolling shutter assembly as defined in claim 1, comprising a plurality of gaskets, each gasket being disposed between the first end of one of the dowels and a corresponding portion of the subsurface.

5. A rolling shutter assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the wall has a plurality of additional holes through the external protective surface above the opening on either side of opening configured to receive the first ends of the dowels so that the first ends of the dowels may be inserted therein, and wherein the shutter housing has holes therethrough corresponding to the additional holes through the external protective surface such that the dowels and the corresponding holes through the shutter housing and the external protective surface may be aligned when the first ends of the dowels are inserted into the holes through the external protective surface and the side tracks are disposed on either side of the opening at the second ends of the dowels.

6. A rolling shutter assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the wall has a plurality of additional holes through the external protective surface above the opening configured to receive the first ends of the dowels so that so that the dowels may be inserted therein, and wherein the shutter housing has holes therethrough corresponding to the additional holes through the external protective surface such that the dowels and the corresponding holes through the shutter housing and the external protective surface may be aligned when the first ends of the dowels are inserted into the holes through the external protective surface and the side tracks are disposed on either side of the opening at the second ends of the dowels.

7. A rolling shutter assembly as defined in claim 1, comprising a support frame having a top rail, a bottom rail and a pair of oppositely disposed side rails, wherein the side rails each include a plurality of holes corresponding to the holes through the external protective surface of the wall and through the side tracks, wherein the support frame is disposed between the second ends of the dowels and the side tracks with the holes through the side rails aligning with the corresponding openings through the dowels and holes through the side tracks and the external protective surface with the fasteners passing therethrough.

8. A method for mounting a rolling shutter assembly around an opening of a wall of a structure having an external protective surface, an underlying support structure, and a subsurface disposed therebetween, wherein the assembly comprises a shutter housing, a shutter support member rotatably disposed within the shutter housing, a shutter coupled to the shutter support member, a pair of side tracks each having a plurality of holes therethrough, and a plurality of dowels each having a first end, a second end, a length, a diameter and a longitudinal opening extending therethrough, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of holes through the external protective surface on either side of the opening configured to receive the first ends of the dowels;

inserting the first ends of the dowels into corresponding holes of the external protective surface;

disposing the side tracks adjacent the second ends of the dowels and aligning the holes of the side tracks with the corresponding holes through the external protective surface of the wall and the dowels inserted therein; and

inserting fasteners through the holes of the side tracks and the longitudinal openings of the corresponding dowels and into direct engagement with at least one of subsurface and the underlying support structure to secure the rolling shutter assembly around the opening of the wall.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, comprising directly anchoring the fasteners in the underlying support structure of the wall.

10. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the length of the dowels is at least equal to a maximum depth of the external protective surface of the wall.

11. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the rolling shutter assembly includes a plurality of gaskets, the method comprising inserting the gaskets into the holes of the external protective surface before inserting the first ends of the dowels such that the gaskets are disposed between the first ends of the dowels and the subsurface of the wall.

12. A method as defined in claim 8, comprising:

providing a plurality of additional holes through the external protective surface above the opening on either side of the opening configured to receive the first ends of the dowels;

providing a plurality of holes in the shutter housing corresponding to the additional holes through the external protective surface;

inserting first ends of dowels into the additional holes through the external protective surface; and

inserting fasteners through the holes of the shutter housing and the longitudinal openings of the dowels in the corresponding additional holes through the external protective surface, and into direct engagement with at least one of the subsurface and the underlying support structure to secure the shutter housing above the opening of the wall.

13. A method as defined in claim 8, comprising:

providing a plurality of additional holes through the external protective surface above the opening configured to receive the first ends of the dowels;

providing a plurality of holes in the shutter housing corresponding to the additional holes through the external protective surface;

inserting first ends of dowels into the additional holes through the external protective surface; and

inserting fasteners through the holes of the shutter housing and the longitudinal openings of the dowels in the corresponding additional holes through the external protective surface, and into direct engagement with at least one of the subsurface and the underlying support structure to secure the shutter housing above the opening of the wall.

14. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the shutter assembly includes a support frame having a top rail, a bottom rail, and a pair of oppositely disposed side rails, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of holes in the side rails of the support frame corresponding to the plurality holes through the external protective surface of the wall and through the side tracks;

disposing the support frame between the second ends of the dowels and the side tracks with the holes through the side rails aligning with the corresponding openings through the dowels and holes through the side tracks and the external protective surface with the fasteners being inserted therethrough.

15. In a rolling shutter assembly for covering an opening in a wall of a structure having an external protective surface, an underlying support structure and a subsurface disposed therebetween, the assembly having a shutter housing, a shutter support member rotatably disposed within the shutter housing, a shutter coupled to the shutter support member, and a pair of side tracks, wherein lateral edges of the shutter are disposed within the side tracks when the shutter is unrolled to cover the opening, and wherein the side tracks engage the corresponding lateral edges of the shutter to retain the lateral edges within the side tracks, the improvement comprising:

a plurality of dowels each having a first end, and second end, a length, a diameter and a longitudinal opening extending therethrough, wherein the wall has a plurality of holes through the external protective surface on either side of opening configured to receive the first ends of the dowels so that the first ends of the dowels may be inserted into corresponding holes of the external protective surface, wherein the side tracks each have holes therethrough corresponding to holes through the external protective surface such that the dowels and the corresponding holes through the side tracks and the external protective surface may be aligned when the first ends of the dowels are inserted into the holes through the external protective surface and the side tracks are disposed on either side of the opening at the second ends of the dowels, and wherein a fastener is inserted through each of the holes through the side tracks and through the longitudinal opening of the corresponding one of the dowels disposed in a corresponding one of the holes through the external protective surface, and the fasteners directly engage at least one of the subsurface and the underlying support structure to secure the rolling shutter assembly around the opening of the wall.

16. A rolling shutter assembly as defined in claim 15, wherein the fasteners directly engage the underlying support structure of the wall.

17. A rolling shutter assembly as defined in claim 15, wherein the length of the dowels is at least equal to a maximum depth of the external protective surface of the wall.

18. A rolling shutter assembly as defined in claim 15, the improvement comprising a plurality of gaskets, each gasket being disposed between the first end of one of the dowels and a corresponding portion of the subsurface.

19. A rolling shutter assembly as defined in claim 15, wherein the wall has a plurality of additional holes through the external protective surface above the opening on either side of opening configured to receive the first ends of the dowels so that the first ends of the dowels may be inserted therein, and wherein the shutter housing has holes therethrough corresponding to the additional holes through the external protective surface such that the dowels and the corresponding holes through the shutter housing and the external protective surface may be aligned when the first ends of the dowels are inserted into the holes through the external protective surface and the side tracks are disposed on either side of the opening at the second ends of the dowels.

20. A rolling shutter assembly as defined in claim 15, wherein the wall has a plurality of additional holes through the external protective surface above the opening configured to receive the first ends of the dowels so that so that the dowels may be inserted therein, and wherein the shutter housing has holes therethrough corresponding to the additional holes through the external protective surface such that the dowels and the corresponding holes through the shutter housing and the external protective surface may be aligned when the first ends of the dowels are inserted into the holes through the external protective surface and the side tracks are disposed on either side of the opening at the second ends of the dowels.

21. A rolling shutter assembly as defined in claim 15, the improvement comprising a support frame having a top rail, a bottom rail and a pair of oppositely disposed side rails, wherein the side rails each include a plurality of holes corresponding to the holes through the external protective surface of the wall and through the side tracks, wherein the support frame is disposed between the second ends of the dowels and the side tracks with the holes through the side rails aligning with the corresponding openings through the dowels and holes through the side tracks and the external protective surface with the fasteners passing therethrough.