US 5,474,118 AGranted

Reinforced roll-type shuttters

OwnerRobert E. Hoffmaninventor

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Abstract

A roll-type shutter is formed of a number of horizontally elongated shutters, arranged one above the other, hingedly connected together along their adjacent edges for rolling the shutter up or extending it downwardly to form a panel. Each shutter is provided with an upper and lower cavity or channel within which a separate connector member is inserted. The connector members in each cavity are provided with generally L-shaped or hook-like internal portions which engage correspondingly shaped projections formed integrally within the interior of the respective channels so that the connectors are snugly fitted within and engaged against the interior walls of their channels. Each connector has an outer, that is, an upwardly or downwardly, respectively, arranged bent hook portion for engaging the corresponding hook portion of the next connector. The separate connectors extend substantially the full length of each of the slats and reinforce and rigidify the upper and lower edges of each of the slats. Since the slats are narrow, in effect, the shutter panel is divided with a series of horizontal lines of stiffening or reinforcement, which are relatively close together, formed by the connectors so as to resist penetration of the panel by forcefully applied objects.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A reinforced roll-type shutter formed of a number of substantially identical, narrow, relatively thin, elongated slats which are normally horizontally arranged and located one above another, edge to edge, to form a substantially planar, vertical panel, and with the slats each having a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge, with said edges being respectively hingedly connected to the second and first edges of the next adjacent slat so that the shutter may be rolled up or down, and with a channel formed in each of the first and second edges of each slat, with each channel having a base and opposing sidewalls and opening at its respective slat edge;

a roughly L-shaped in cross-section strip interrelate formed on at least one side wall of each of the channels, with the strip having a leg portion which is integral with its respective channel side wall and extends toward the opposite side wall of its channel and a leg portion which extends toward its channel base, to form a roughly L-shaped, in cross-section inner pocket in cooperation with the adjacent base and side wall areas of its channel;
a first and a second connector member, each positioned within a first and second channel of each of the slats, with each connector member having an inner portion formed in a generally hook-like cross-sectional shape engaged with the strip and closely fitted within the pocket of its respective channel and having an outer portion engaged with a wall portion of its channel and terminating in a generally hook-bent portion which is shaped to engage the hook-bent portion on the connector member of its next adjacent slat edge for hingedly connecting the slats together;
whereby the connector members reinforce and rigidify the edge areas of the channels of the respective slats along substantially the full lengths of the slats to thereby resist penetration of the shutter panel by forcefully applied objects.

A reinforced roll-type shutter formed of a number of substantially identical, narrow, elongated slats each slat having a pair of opposing side walls joined by upper and lower edges, said slats being normally horizontally arranged and located one above another, edge to edge, to form a substantially vertical panel, and with the slats being hingedly connected together along their adjacent upper and lower edges for rolling the shutter up or down;

each slat having a respective channel opening outwardly along its upper and lower edges forming upper and lower channels, with the channels extending longitudinally along said slat, and being defined by a horizontal base extending transversely of the opposed vertical walls of the respective slats, and channel walls defined by portions of the slat walls, with the channels opening upwardly and downwardly of each slat;
a generally L-shaped projection formed integrally within each of the channels and having a leg integral with the adjacent channel wall and a leg extending towards the base of the channel, but spaced a distance from the base so as to form a roughly L-shaped, in cross-section, pocket within its respective channel;
first and second connector members positioned within each of the upper and lower channels, with each connector member having a roughly L-shaped in cross-section inner portion which is engaged with the channels and closely fitted within the pocket of its respective channel and each connector member having an outer, hook-like shaped portion for engaging the corresponding portion upon the next adjacent connector of the next slat;
with said connector members extending substantially the full lengths of the respective slats and cooperating with the adjacent slat wall and channel walls with which they contact within the channels, to reinforce and rigidify the longitudinal edges of the slats so as to resist penetration of the shutter panel by forcefully applied objects, while providing the hinge structure for rolling up the panels.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.