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US 5,704,182 AGranted
Modular shutter assembly
AssigneeTapco International Corporation
InventorCharles E. Schiedegger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular plastic shutter assembly that includes an injection molded panel that has been cut to length to accommodate the particular shutter assembly. A die cutter having an appropriately shaped cutting blade cuts an end of the panel to the desirable length. A separate injection molded panel end piece is secured to the cut end of the panel to form a complete panel.
Claims16
A modular shutter assembly comprising:
- first and second side rails extending a length of the shutter assembly along first and second sides of the shutter assembly;
- first and second shutter end sections positioned at first and second ends of the shutter assembly, said first shutter end section and said second shutter end section being rigidly secured to the first and second side rails so as to separate the first and second side rails;
- and
- at least one raised plastic panel being rigidly secured to the first and second side rails, said at least one raised panel including a central raised panel portion defined by first and second panel side sections and first and second panel end sections, said first and second panel side sections and first and second panel end sections being lowered sections that give the raised panel portion its raised appearance, said at least one raised panel being formed by cutting the at least one raised panel to a desired length resulting in one unfinished edge, at least one of the first and second panel end sections being a separate member fabricated separately from the raised panel portion and shaped to conform to said unfinished edge, said separate member including an extended flange that is positioned against a back surface of the raised panel portion, said extended flange being secured to the raised panel portion adjacent said unfinished edge during assembly of the shutter assembly to produce a fully formed raised panel having a precisely desired length.
1 more element
A modular shutter assembly comprising an assembly of separately formed plastic parts, said separately formed plastic parts including:
- a raised plastic panel portion including a central raised panel portion defined by first and second panel side sections and first and second panel end sections, said first and second panel side sections and first and second panel end sections being lowered sections that give the raised panel portion its raised appearance, at least one of the first and second panel end sections being a separate member fabricated separately from the raised panel portion, said separate member including an extended flange, said raised panel portion being cut to a desired length resulting in said raised panel portion having at least one unfinished edge, and
- said separately fabricated panel end section having an edge that conforms in shape to said unfinished edge of said raised panel portion;
- said extended flange of the separate member being positioned against a back surface of the central raised panel portion and being secured to the central raised panel portion such that said separately fabricated panel end section abuts said unfinished edge of said raised panel portion to produce a fully formed raised panel having an integrally formed appearance.
A method of providing a modular shutter assembly, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing first and second side rails of the shutter assembly;
- providing at least one raised plastic panel of the shutter assembly, said raised panel including a central raised panel portion defined by first and second panel side sections and first and second panel end sections all being integral with each other, said first and second panel side sections and said first and second panel end sections being lowered sections that give the raised panel portion its raised appearance;
- cutting at least one end of the at least one plastic raised panel including cutting through the raised panel portion, to cut the raised panel to a desired length and form a cut raised panel having an unfinished edge;
- providing at least one separate panel end section having an edge that conforms in shape to said unfinished edge and securing the separate panel end section to the unfinished edge of the raised panel such that the raised panel includes a central raised panel portion defined by the integral first and second panel side sections and the separate panel end section such that the raised panel portion retains its raised appearance;
- and
- securing the cut and formed raised panel to the first and second side rails.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.