# US 2019/0376337 A1 · Motorized shutter assembly

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- Number: US 2019/0376337 A1
- Document ID: US20190376337A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/546,487
- Filed: 2019-08-21
- Published: 2019-12-12
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-28
- Assignees: Hunter Douglas Inc.
- Applicants: Hunter Douglas Inc.
- Inventors: Donald E. Fraser
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376337A1

## CPC

- E06B 7/09: mounted in movable wing, e.g. door
- E05F 15/619: using flexible or rigid rack-and-pinion arrangements
- E06B 9/04: of wing type, e.g. revolving or sliding {(trap doors; louvre doors or windows E06B7/08)}
- E05Y 2900/146: Shutters
- E06B 7/096: operated or interconnected by gearing (wing operators with gearing in general E05F11/00)
- F16D 7/022: {with a helical band or equivalent member co-operating with a cylindrical torque limiting coupling surface}
- E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00)
- E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING
- E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF
- F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES

## Abstract

In one aspect, a shutter assembly includes a shutter frame and a plurality of louvers supported by the frame. The shutter assembly also includes a louver drive assembly and a motor positioned within the frame. The motor is configured to rotationally drive a drive shaft extending within the frame. Additionally, the shutter assembly includes a clutch assembly rotationally coupled between the drive shaft and the louver drive assembly. The clutch assembly is configured to disengage or decouple the drive shaft from the louver drive assembly when a torque transmitted through the clutch assembly exceeds a given torque threshold.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-20. (canceled)

### Claim 21

A shutter assembly comprising:
a shutter frame;
a plurality of louvers supported by said shutter frame;
a louver drive assembly positioned within said shutter frame, said louver drive assembly coupled to at least one driven louver of said plurality of louvers;
a drive shaft extending within said shutter frame; and
a clutch assembly coupled between said drive shaft and said louver drive assembly, said clutch assembly including an input clutch portion, an output clutch portion, and a coupling provided between said input and output clutch portions;
wherein:
a first portion of said coupling is configured to be selectively engaged with said input clutch portion and a second portion of said coupling is configured to be selectively engaged with said output clutch portion; and
when a torque transmitted through said clutch assembly exceeds a torque threshold, one of said first portion or said second portion of said coupling is configured to disengage from a respective clutch portion of said input and output clutch portions to decouple said input clutch portion from said output clutch portion.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The shutter assembly of claim 21, wherein, when the torque transmitted through said clutch assembly is less than the torque threshold, said first and second portions of said coupling are engaged with said input and output clutch portions, respectively, to allow the torque to be transmitted between said input and output clutch portions.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The shutter assembly of claim 22, further comprising a motor configured to rotationally drive said drive shaft.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The shutter assembly of claim 23, wherein a minimum torque required to rotationally drive said plurality of louvers is less than the torque threshold such that the torque is transmitted between said input and output clutch portions when said motor is being operated to rotationally drive said drive shaft.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The shutter assembly of claim 21, wherein the torque transmitted through said clutch assembly exceeds the torque threshold when said plurality of louvers are being manually rotated.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21)

The shutter assembly of claim 21, wherein said coupling comprises a clutch sleeve configured to be selectively engaged with said input and output clutch portions.

### Claim 27 (depends on 21)

The shutter assembly of claim 21, wherein said first portion of said coupling comprises a first clutch spring configured to be selectively engaged with a first support surface of said input clutch portion, and said second portion of said coupling comprises a second clutch spring configured to be selectively engaged with a second support surface of said output clutch portion.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The shutter assembly of claim 27, wherein, when the torque transmitted through said clutch assembly exceeds the torque threshold:
said first clutch spring is configured to tighten around said first support surface and said second clutch spring is configured to loosen relative to said second support surface when the torque is transmitted through said clutch assembly in a first direction to allow said second clutch spring to slip relative to said output clutch portion; and
said first clutch spring is configured to loosen relative to said first support surface and said second clutch spring is configured to tighten around said second support surface when the torque is transmitted through said clutch assembly in an opposite, second direction to allow said first clutch spring to slip relative to said input clutch portion.

### Claim 29 (depends on 21)

The shutter assembly of claim 21, wherein said input clutch portion rotationally engages said drive shaft and said output clutch portion rotationally engages a component of said louver drive assembly.

### Claim 30

A shutter assembly comprising:
a shutter frame;
a plurality of louvers supported by said shutter frame;
a louver drive assembly positioned within said shutter frame, said louver drive assembly coupled to at least one driven louver of said plurality of louvers;
a drive shaft extending within said shutter frame; and
a clutch assembly coupled between said drive shaft and said louver drive assembly, said clutch assembly including an input clutch portion, an output clutch portion, and a coupling provided between said input and output clutch portion;
wherein:
a first portion of said coupling is configured to be selectively engaged with said input clutch portion and a second portion of said coupling is configured to be selectively engaged with said output clutch portion; and
when a torque transmitted through said clutch assembly exceeds a torque threshold:
said first portion of said coupling is configured to disengage from said input clutch portion when a rotational direction of the torque is in a first direction; and
said second portion of said coupling is configured to disengage from said output clutch portion when the rotational direction of the torque is in a second direction opposite the first direction.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The shutter assembly of claim 30, wherein, when the torque transmitted through said clutch assembly is less than the torque threshold, said first and second portions of said coupling are engaged with said input and output clutch portions, respectively, to allow the torque to be transmitted between said input and output clutch portions.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The shutter assembly of claim 31, further comprising a motor configured to rotationally drive said drive shaft.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The shutter assembly of claim 32, wherein a minimum torque required to rotationally drive said plurality of louvers is less than the torque threshold such that the torque is transmitted between said input and output clutch portions when said motor is being operated to rotationally drive said drive shaft.

### Claim 34 (depends on 30)

The shutter assembly of claim 30, wherein the torque transmitted through said clutch assembly exceeds the torque threshold when said plurality of louvers are being manually rotated.

### Claim 35 (depends on 30)

The shutter assembly of claim 30, wherein said first portion of said coupling comprises a first clutch spring configured to be selectively engaged with a first support surface of said input clutch portion, and said second portion of said coupling comprises a second clutch spring configured to be selectively engaged with a second support surface of said output clutch portion.

### Claim 36

A clutch assembly for use within a shutter, the shutter including a drive shaft and a louver drive assembly rotationally coupled to a plurality of louvers of the shutter, the clutch assembly comprising:
a clutch housing;
a clutch input portion configured to be at least partially received within said clutch housing, said clutch input portion being configured to rotationally engage the drive shaft;
a clutch output portion configured to be at least partially received within said clutch housing, said clutch output portion being configured to rotationally engage a component of the louver drive assembly;
a coupling provided between said input and output clutch portions;
wherein:
a first portion of said coupling is configured to be selectively engaged with said input clutch portion and a second portion of said coupling is configured to be selectively engaged with said output clutch portion; and
when a torque transmitted through said clutch assembly exceeds a torque threshold, one of said first portion or said second portion of said coupling is configured to disengage from a respective clutch portion of said input and output clutch portions to decouple said input clutch portion from said output clutch portion.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The clutch assembly of claim 36, wherein, when the torque transmitted through said clutch assembly is less than the torque threshold, said first and second portions of said coupling are engaged with said input and output clutch portions, respectively, to allow the torque to be transmitted between said input and output clutch portions.

### Claim 38 (depends on 36)

The clutch assembly of claim 36, wherein said first portion of said coupling comprises a first clutch spring configured to be selectively engaged with a first support surface of said input clutch portion, and said second portion of said coupling comprises a second clutch spring configured to be selectively engaged with a second support surface of said output clutch portion.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The clutch assembly of claim 38, wherein the torque threshold comprises a torque value at which said first and second clutch springs are configured to slip relative said first and second support surfaces.

### Claim 40 (depends on 38)

The clutch assembly of claim 38, wherein:
said coupling further comprises a clutch sleeve; and
said first and second clutch springs are coupled to each other via said clutch sleeve to provide a rotational connection between said input and output clutch portions when the torque transmitted through said clutch assembly is less than the torque threshold.