Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
This invention relates to apparatus for operatin~ a roller shutter system
of the type comprising a flexible or seKmented shutter which is wound upon a
roller and an operating strap wound about the roller (or a reel attached
thereto) for raisin~ and lowering the shutter.
Roller shutter systems of this general type are widely used for windows
and other openings and are usually designed for manual operation. The strap
is maintained under a certain amount of tension by having its free end secured
to a sprin~-loaded counter-reel and th~ shutter is then raised or lowered by
pulline on the strap in the corresponding direction. Thus, when the shutter
is to be raised, the strap is pulled downwardly, causin~ the roller to rotate
and wind up the shutter. The counter-reel takss up the strap slack. The
rounter-reel is normally housed in a box located in a wall opening adjacent
the window, and the strap enters the box throu~h a feed slot fitted with a
~uide roller and a stop device which serves to grip the strap and thus hold
the shutter in any desired positlon. ~he dimensions of the box are usually
standardized to permit them to be interchan~ed as desired.
Motorized shutter systems are also available but are generally not
interchangeable with the mechanism of e~isting manually operated shutters.
Older motorized systems have the motor located beneath the shutter (for
example, in a basement or cell~r) and drive the roller through a system of
cables. More modern systems have a motor or motors located in the housing for
the roller or in the roller itself. A further type of system has the motor
o~eratin~ upon the counter-reel for ~he s~rap and one example of such a system
is de6cribed in a 1968 broch~re entitled "Selve-Elektroantriebe" issued by
Ernst Selve, which is a m~nufacturer of motorized shutter systems. The motor
directly en~a~es the counter-reel and has a power rating of approximately 200
watts and is desi~ned for a.c. malns supply operation.
These systems have all enjoyed limited success in the mar~etplace, because
they are unduly bulky, have hi~h power cons~mption and do not enable the
economical conversion of existin~ manually operated systems.
An object of the present inYention is therefore to provide a compact
self-contained drive apparstus which can easily be applied to existing
manually operated systems or incorporated in new systems during msnu~acture.
The apparatus according to my invention comprises a chassis haYing mounted
thereon: -
PAT 9640-1 ~
8 counter-reel for the operatirl~ strap of the roller shutter;
A low-power electric motor having integral high stepdown-ratio reduction
~ears for rotatably driving the counter-reel;
switch means for activating the motor by selectively connecting it to a
power supply;
a central control unit and timer for the motor; and
a control and display panel for the central control unit and timer facing
outwardly from said chassis to permit access to said panel by an operator when
said apparatus is installed in a wall op0ning or the like.
Preferably the motor operates with direct current and has a power rating
of from 5 watts to 10 watts. Conveniently, a rechargeable battery is provided
for the motor and solar cells can be mounted upon the window, for example, to
provide a source of chargine current for the battery.
In a further preferred embodiment, sensing ~eans are provided to sense the
tension on the strap and provide signals r~presentative thereof to the central
control unit. The control unit accordingly varies the speed of the motor to
provide smooth operation by maintaining essenti~lly constant tension on the
strap.
I have found that high-stepdown ratio reduction gearing enables the use of
a low-powered motor of compsct size, which enables the chassis to be so
dimensioned as to be interchangeable with the counter-reel boxes of
conventional manually operated systems without enlargin~ or modifying the
e%isting opening in the wall. Also, the use of such hi~h-stepdown ratio
reduction gearin~ obviates the necessity for the hi~h-power motors which have
hithertofore been considered essential.
A compact direct-current ~otor is preferably used, which enables the
chassis to be so dimensioned that exchange with counter-resl bo~es of
conventional manually operated screening upparatus is possible without, for
e~ample, having to enlarge the e~iating opening in the masonry of the
building. Practicsl e~periments have shown that a no~inal power rating of S
to 10 W, preferably 6 to 8 W, is suffici0nt for the motor.
As stated above, it is yet another feature of the invention to provide the
chassis ~ith a battery for the mains-independent supply of ~he motor. A
direct connection of the motor to the mains in certain cases via a transformer
and/or a rectifier can, of course, be ef~ected very economically in new
PAT 9640-1
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construction. Such connection may not be as convenient when modifying nn
existin~ shutter system. In fact, studies have shown that th~ motor need only
have relatively low power consumption for most situations, but in modifying
existing systems, just the necessity of laying an electrical line is
burdensome. If one starts with a nominal volta~e of 12 Volts, a battery with
a maximum discharge current of 500 mA to l.SA (preferably of approximately 900
mA) meets the power requirements of the motors. A battery with such
characteristics can be accommodated without difficulty on a chassis of
standard counter-reel box dimensions. Chargin~ of the battery can be achieved
by means of a power supply, and it is especially advantageous to use solar
cells for charging the battery. Moreover, the battery can be provided as a
plurality of individual battery cells which can easily be a commodated in the
unused corners of the chassis. If solar cells are provided for charging the
battery, it is ob~ious that these solar cells should be located in a place
where they are e~posed to as much solar radiation as possibl~ - s~ch as on a
window. The surprising realiz~tion that an adequQte long-term charging of the
battery is achievable is due to the fact that chargin~ can take place over
long periods of time with ~ery small chargin~ currents, sincs energy-consuming
raising of the revolving shutters is normally required only once a day - i.e.,
in the morning.
It is a further fispect of the in~ention to provlde control of the motor.
Of course, it is possible to provide terminal switehes without difficulty on
the revolving shutters themselves. However, it i5 preferred that the controls
for the motor be arranged on tha chassis, so that it is self-~ontained and
only one part need be installed, eschanged or modified. In this respect, it
is desirable to provide a sensor element for sensing the tension of the strap
in order to control the motor. If a guide roller is provided for the
introduction of the strap onto the countsr-reel~ this guide roller can be part
of the sensor element. A diminishing tension of the str~p indicates lowered
shutters, whereas an increasing tension of the strap indicates complet~ly
raised shutters. Another means o~ eontrolling the motor is by monitoring its
power consumption, which increases or decreases in accordance with the strap
tension.
Finally, it is possible to provide further control elements such as
brightness sensors, timers or the like for controlling the motor. Via
PAT 9640-1
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B~S
additional control UDits, the most varied functions can be accomplished. For
example, by means of a brightness sensor, the position shutter can be adjusted
according to the position of the sun, opened and closed depending on the time
of day, and so forth. The timer permits the timed control of the motor, that
is raising and lowering of the shutters is determined by selecting the
steady-speed running time of the motor.
An especially sdvantageous aspect of the invention is the use of a central
control unit for the motor. This control unit is located on the chassis and
is operable via an operating panel. The microelectronic technology of today
offers many and va~ied possibilities for the design of this control unit. For
example, the control unit can have independently programmable memory and
control functions in connection with a clock module, by means of which even
long-term automatic rising and lowering of the shutters can be ~chieved.
Thus, in an extremely elegant manner, long-term absences from a residence or
the like can be concealed, so that greater security against break-in is
provided.
It is still another aspect of this invention to provide the stepdown
gearinB with an automatic locking mechanism. Thus, when the motor is turned
off, the shutters stay in position. With such a mechanism, manual operation
of the shutters is not possible without proYiding means whereby the motor and
possibly the gearing are releasable. S~ch release enables at least a limited
independent rotation of the counter-reel, so that especially in the case of an
em~rgency, manual operation of the shutters is possible. For manual
operation, it is desirable that a temporarily o~ permanently activQ spring be
provided to ensure a continuous take up of the strap on the counter-reel.
With respect to the releasing mechanism, the latter can be actusted into its
releasing mode, for example, by a short stron~ tug on the belt ~trap, and
renewed enga8ement of the motor (and the stepdown gearing) can be effected by
another short tug on the belt strap.
A further important feature of this invention is to provide the chassis
with dimensions corresponding as far BS possible with conventional
counter-reel bo2es. To this end, an especially desirable aspect of the
invention is the provision of the motor ~and in certain cases the stepdown
gearing) w~thin the counter-reel. The counter-reel is prefer~bly hollow, so
that the interior space is available for the motor and the stepdown gearîng.
PAT 9640-1
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Such design is realizable without difficulty with modern materials, since the
counter-reel is not submitted to such mechanical loads that it has to have a
solid construction. This design offers substantial space savings, since
otherwise unused space is used for accommodation of the motor and, in certain
cases, the stepdown gearing. This is possible only because the motor in this
invention can be relatively small. Especially (but not exclusively) in the
case of the last-mentioned embodiment of the invention, it is desirable that
the motor and in certain cases the stepdown gearing be firmly ~onnected with
the counter-reel, and the motor engages a central bearin~ that is firmly
attached to the chassis directly or via the stepdown gearing, respectively, to
drive the counter-reel. The motor and possibly the stepdown gearing therefore
turn together with the ~ounter-reel, and the bearing axle - which is firmly
~ttached to the chassis - serves as a support for the rotating counter-reel.
Thus, an important aspect of the invention is the provision of complete
motorized operation of the shutters through installation, exchange or
modification of a single unit - i.e. the chassis which replaces the standard
counter-reel bo~. Thus, great flexibility as to addi~ional features i8 ~ade
possible - for example, the mains-independent unctioning of the apparatus
using solar cells, which is of tremendous significance.
The invention will now be described further by way of example only and
with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 illustrates schematically B roller shutter systcm embodying the
present invention;
~igure 2 illustrates a detail of the apparatus shown in Fi~ure l; and
Fi~ure 3 is a front view of an operating panel for the apparatus of
Figures 1 and 2.
The roller shutter system 1 shown in Fig. 1 ass~ntially comprise3
segmented shutters 2; a roller box 3 disposed above a windows in the outer
wall of a building; a roller 4 disposed in the roller bos 3 for rolling up the
segmented shutters 2; a main strap reel 5, rotatably and coaxially mounted on
the roller 4, for a strap 6 for operating the shutters 2; a counter-reel 7 for
the strap 6; and 8 chassis 8 supporting the counter-r~el 7 for the ~trap 6.
When the counter-reel is driven to take up the strap 6, the shutters are
raised and rolled up on the roller 4, as can be seen schematically in Fig. 1,
and the strap 6 is rolled off from the main reel 5. The chassls 8 is located
PAT 9640-1
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in an opening in the wall of the buildin~ sdjacent the window and a feed slot
9 is provided for introduction of strap 6 into the roller bo~ 3. A feed
opening 11 equipped with a guide roller 10 is provided for introduction of the
strap 6 onto the counter-reel 7. A d.c. motor 12 with an inte~rsl stepdown
~earing 13 is provided for driving the counter-reel 7.
In Fi~. 2 it can be clearly seen that the counter-reel 7 is supported on a
support bracket 14 that is firmly attached to the chassis 8. The motor 12 and
the stepdown gearin~ 13 are releasable so that the counter-reel 7 can be
turned more or less freely by hand. Thus, mnnual operation of the shutters is
possible. Further, it can clearly be seen that the motor 12 and the stepdown
~earing 13 are arranged within the counter-reel 7 and are firmly attached to
the counter-reel 7 and the motor 12 engages, via the stepdown ~earin~ 13, a
central bearing axle 15 that is firmly secured to the chassis 8 via support
bracket 14. The stepdown ~earing 13 is designed as a toothed ~ear train, so
that the bearing a~le 15 also has an outer toot~in~. The bearin~ a~le 15
serves to a certain degree as a support for the rotary motion of the
counter-reel 7. The connection of the motor 12 with the stepdown 8earing 13
is made via two be~el gears schematically shown in Fig. 2.
In Fig. 2 it is moreover schematically shown that a battery is provided on
the chassis 8 for the mains-independent supply of the motor. This battery
consists of threa bsttery cells 16a, 16b and 16c which are respectively
arranged in the unused corners of the chassis 8. In the embodiment shown, the
motor 12 has a power ratin~ of 6W associated with a nominal volta~e of 12V.
The b~ttery i6 designed for a ma~imum discharge current of 900 ~A. ~oreover,
for charging the battery, solar cells 17 are provided. ~ig. 2 further shows a
sensor element 18 which is provided for control of the motor 12 by sensing the
tension o~ the strap 6. The guide roller 10 in this case forms a psrt of the
sensor element 18 which further comprises sensin~ electronics 19. Other
control elements, not shown in detail, sre provided for controllin~ the motor.
It is illustrRted in Fig. 2 that a central control unit 20 is provided for
control of the motor 12. As is shown, this control unit 20 i9 constructed as
a plu~-in module and comprises all the necessary functions for the control of
the motor 12.
FiK. 3 shows an operatin~ panel 21 for the control unit 20, such panel
being secured to the front of the chassis 8. Ne~t to a clock module 22,
PAT 9640-1
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various operatin~ elements are provided - namely, a switch 23 for lowerin~ the
shutters, a switch 24 for raising the shutters, a switch 25 for the optional
stoppin~ of the shutters and a switch 26 for various program functions.
Furthermore, a connection 27 for remote control as well as a connection for an
external power supply are provided.
PAT 9640-1
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