Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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IMPROVED REV~RSIB~E ~nU-Ll~n
The invention refers to an improved reversible
shutter, and more in particular to means enabling direct
mounting of the shutter assembly, including louvers, a
winding/unwinding shaft and side plates containing
labyrinthine trajectories which provide a reversible
character to the shutter, the direct mounting being
implemented in a box fitted onto the masonry work.
The present invention further describes a manual or
motorized drive means especially adapted for using on
reversible shutters of the type in which the louvers are
guided along side labyrinth~ and provide a special feature
in that they can alternatively show both sides of the
shutter in one same direction.
Along this same line, the improvements introduced in
the louvers are designed mainly to obtain reversible
shutter louvers which are particularly silent and wear
resistant.
A shutter of this type is described in the applicant's
utility model U9501021, the shutter being in this case
constituted by elongated hollow louvers on the ends of
which are fitted respective caps with wheels which slide
along the interior of respective lateral guides of a
labyrinthine configuration.
The applicant's utility model U9701980 describes a box
wherein is lodged the shutter that is the object of the
prior utility model, the box presenting side panels the
respective shapes of which enable the side plates bearing
the labyrinthine trajectories to be slidingly mounted. This
type of reversible shutter construction, namely of a
sliding assembly, does not readily allow for the use of
conventional driving means since, first, the same effort
must be exerted in both directions; second, the shutter
must likewise be stopped in both directions; and third, the
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travel ends are required to detect the shutter's physical
position, said travel ends being unsuitable for
incorporating travel stops to the motor.
The proposed reversible shutter, driven either
manually or through motor means, is of a type including a
plurality of louvers the ends of which present appropriate
devices which mesh with the teeth of special pinions or
dented ring gears that rotate and produce a dragging effect
on the louvers, which slide on corresponding lateral guides
and along a labyrinthine trajectory formed for this purpose
on respective side plates mounted on the box ends, in a
manner that the labyrinthine trajectory presents an entry
and an exit point enabling the louver faces to be oriented
toward the same side, in what are considered to be closing
and/or opening positions precisely as a result of the
labyrinthine travel established at the side plates, on
which in turn are mounted the dragging means formed by
pinions, ring gears and a transverse shaft which causes
these dented parts to rotate, thereby moving the louvers -
and consequently the shutter formed by the louvers - in
either direction.
One of the improvements consists in that the box's
side panels or ends, mounted onto the masonry work on the
upper part of the window hollow where the shutter is to be
applied, provide a pair of sections on the inner face
thereof arranged in a way that they define upper and a
lower channels facing one another for the purpose of
slidingly mounting the corresponding side plates fitted
with the labyrinthine trajectories and which furthermore
support the pinions and ring gears which form the rotating
means driven by the transverse shaft arranged between said
plates. The assembly comprising these components and
forming a single-block assembly, is mounted inside the box
by sliding the upper and lower plate edges in the
labyrinthine trajectories forming the integral sections on
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the inner face of the side panels or ends of the box
proper.
A major improvement is furthermore provided by a pair
of special parts arranged to correspond with the lower part
of the side plates, said parts forming an attachment means
for the labyrinthine trajectory plates and an intermediate
form of association between the guides on each side plate
and the box's side panel. Said parts are each fitted with
a prismatic part with side grooves guidingly inserted in a
groove of the section which forms the guide in each side
plate. They are furthermore fitted with a window or groove
insertion and attachment tab provided for that purpose in
the lower corner of the box's side panels, a groove also
being provided into which fits and attaches a fin provided
in the lower edge of the side plates carrying the
labyrinthine trajectories. Finally, these parts are fitted
with front extensions and an intermediate projection, and
establish the starting point for each shutter track along
the entry and exit travel in respect to the corresponding
labyrinthine trajectory.
These improvements enable installation of the shutter
assembly in block form by fitting the box in the masonry
work after arranging and attaching the part between each
box side panel and the corresponding vertical guide.
The driving means that is the object of the present
invention solves several problems and is particularly
adaptable to the special structure of the sliding assembly
reversible shutters, allowing for easy, rapid and cost
effective transformation of a manual driving device into a
motorized one, even after the shutter is initially
installed.
The driving means that is the object of the present
invention uses the labyrinthine guide side plates as a
supporting element, in a way that said plates, once the
various elements forming the manual and/or motorized diving
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means are mounted thereon, can in turn be slidingly mounted
over the box previously installed in the course of the
masonry construction work.
The manual driving means comprises a crank with a 90~
conventional drive element which acts on a transmission rod
transmitting rotation movement in both directions to a
manually driven reducer. The latter comprises a set of four
straight gears fitted with coplanar and parallel shafts,
the last of which presents an integral conic pinion acting
on a matching conic wheel which is in turn attached to
drive and dragging coaxial pinions. A bidirection brake is
inserted between the first straight gear and the
transmission rod, enabling the shutter to be operated in
both directions via the crank handle without the weight of
the shutter causing rotation of the crank handle in either
direction.
The motorized driving means comprises a conventional
asynchronous alternate current motor, the drive pinion of
which is inserted into a planetary type motor driven
reducer having two cascading stages, said drive pinion
meshing with a coaxial ring gear fitted on the shaft
joining the two side plates, which shaft is integral to the
drive pinion.
Concerning the louvers, the arched extension on one of
the louver ends or edges is practically coplanar with the
respective side of the louver, whereas the strangled
channel at the opposite end or edge, coupling into the
arched extension, is formed with a rectangular section,
thereby giving rise to problems when operating the shutter,
which is constantly changing direction when sliding along
the labyrinthine trajectory, the straightness or lack of
curves in the coupling channel either causing numerous
obstructions or impairing movement of the shutter.
These inconveniences have been borne in mind by the
applicant of the proposed louver, which provides a solution
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not only for this particular drawback but also for the
problems affecting the shutter' 8 end louvers.
More specifically, the invention features are centered
on improvements to the reversible shutter louvers,
furthermore providing an adequate termination for the two
end louvers in said shutter.
The first novel characteristic or improvement lies in
the fact that the inner surface of the arched extension,
which constitutes the coupling element in one of the louver
edges, is concave-curved instead of flat, as in prior
louvers. This concave-curved surface is complementary to a
convex-curved surface defining a fin which delimits, on one
side, the channel provided in the opposite edge and which
couples into said extension. These complementary curves
provide hinge action and movement to the louvers in a
manner that is not affected by changes in the trajectory
along the labyrinthine trajectory.
Said channel is delimited on the other side by an
arched fin, the free end of which tends to converge and
lean over an ample step formed by the arched extension,
thus providing a hook function enabling a gap-free closure
that provides full darkening of the room.
In addition, both the upper and lower external louvers
finish in a strangled rectangular channel shape in which
draught excluders or joints are fitted, providing both a
damping support and a gap-free closure.
A further improvement lies in the side wing delimiting
the intermediate louver channels, which is now straight
instead of curved on its exterior side; thus, the shutter
presents the same appearance from each side.
The inner side of said lateral wing delimiting the
intermediate louver channels maintains its concave shape
and receives the adjacent intermediate louver hook which
has been modified so that it adjusts precisely to the curve
of the internally elbowed wing which delimits, together
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with the side wing, the intermediate louver channel, such
that the hook and internally elbowed wing curves coincide
when two adjacent louvers present a 127~ angle
corresponding to the insertion of the shutter in the
lateral spiral guides which constitute the labyrinth in
which the shutter is lodged.
The last improvement introduced in the louvers
consists in the fact that the inwardly elbowed wing facing
the above mentioned side wing delimiting the intermediate
louver channel presents an increased length which, instead
of finishing in the medium plane of the louver, now
occupies approximately 80~ of it~ width and thus off-
settingly drags the adjacent hook, thereby reducing wear
and noise in view that the louvers permanently lean on both
sides of the receiving guides as a result of the
overturning torque to which they are submitted.
In order to complement the description which follows
and to help toward a better understanding of the
characteristics of the invention, a detailed description is
provided based on a set of drawings attached to this
specification which form an integral part thereof and
wherein the following is represented in a merely orienting
and non-limiting character:
Figure 1 shows a front view of the box and shutter
assembly, mounted and devoid of louvers. This figure also
shows the ~pecial attachment part located between the box's
vertical guide and side panel, which also serves to secure
the labyrinthine trajectory side plate.
Figure 2 shows a view of one of the plates onto which
is fitted the labyrinthine trajectory, in addition to the
lower extension determining the vertical guide in said side
or lateral plate.
Figure 3 shows and exploded perspective view of a box
side panel and corresponding cover.
Figure 4 shows an exploded view of the special part,
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in addition to the end portions of the box's respective
side panel and plate fitted with the labyrinthine
trajectory.
Figure 5 shows a side view of the inventive louver
coupled onto another louver, namely the upper one in the
proposed shutter.
Figure 6 shows the same louver shown in the preceding
figure, although in this case it is coupled onto another
louver, namely the lower end louver in the proposed
shutter.
Figure 7 shows a detail of the coupling between
louvers in the closed position.
Figure 8 shows a detail of several coupled louvers
which follow trajectory changes which may corre~pond to a
labyrinthine trajectory.
Figure 9 shows a detail of several coupled louvers
which follow trajectory changes which may correspond to a
labyrinthine trajectory.
Figure 10 shows a section of an intermediate louver
according to the invention.
Figure 11 shows a section of an extreme lower louver
according to the invention.
Figure 12 shows a section of an extreme upper louver
according to the invention.
Figure 13 shows a manually driven assembly with the
two parts which constitute the assembly, namely the crank
handle and the manually driven reducer coupled to the side
plate.
Figure 14 show6 the manually driven reducer mounted in
its box.
Figure 15 shows the diving reducer in an exploded
view.
Figure 16 shows a per6pective view of the manually
driven reducer transmission elements.
Figure 17 shows a side view of the manually driven
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reducer transmission elements.
Figure 18 shows an opposite side view of the
transmission elements shown in figure 5.
Figure 19 shows a perspective view of the motor-driven
assembly from the center of the window.
Figure 20 shows a perspective view from a side of the
motor-driven assembly.
Figure 21 shows an exploded perspective view of the
motor-driven assembly.
Figure 22 shows an exploded view of the planetary
motor-reducer assembly.
As can be seen from the figures, the reversible
shutter box proposed as one of the improvements comprises
a base panel 1, a cover panel 2 and a pair of side panels
3, all complemented with respective external covers or
fancy panelling 4.
The reversible shutter assembly itself comprises a
pair of side plates 5 on the inner side of which are formed
the respective labyrinthine trajectories 6; a polygonal
shaft 7 between said plates 5 for winding/unwinding the
shutter as a result of said ~haft 7 being manually or motor
driven to thereby rotate the pinons and ring gears 8 which
in turn drive the louver dragging means though the
appendices or engaging elements fitted on said louver ends.
Said pinions, ring gears dragging elements and the louvers
proper are part of the shutter single-block assembly. The
dragging elements engaging the louver end appendices are
mounted on shaft 9, taking the form of a special pinion.
In the labyrinthine trajectory 6, the louver or
shutter entry corresponds to reference 10 and the exit to
reference 11, while the lower vertical guide forming an
extension of the labyrinthine trajectory corresponds to
reference 12.
Based on these features, the inner side of each side
panel 3 is fitted with a pair of sections 13, one upper and
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one lower, on each of which are established wings 14, each
of which forms a channel 15, both channel 15 facing each
other for slidingly mounting the plates 5 and thus the
shutter single-block assembly. Also, one of the corners -
either upper or lower - in each side panel 3 is fitted with
a groove 16 and a groove communicating window 17, the
function of which is described further on.
The lower edge in plate 5 is fitted with a fin 18, the
function of which is also described hereunder.
The invention is also characteristic mainly in that it
incorporates a special part 19 of an overall prismatic
shape, the larger faces of said part being fitted with
grooves 20 complementary to protrusions 21 along the inner
side of the walls delimiting the guide 12 housing,
precisely where said part 19 is lodged into and which is
fitted on its upper part with an extension or wing 22 which
passes through window 17 and becomes lodged inside the
groove 16 in side panel 3. Thus, the guide 12 section is
associated to the side panel 3, part 19 being secured by
screws passing through holes 23 and 24 facing each other in
the extension or wing 22 and at the bottom of groove 16.
At the opposite end of said part 19, and also in
correspondence with the upper part, a groove 25 is provided
for receiving fin 18 on plate 5. This means that, once part
19 is mounted between the box's guide section 12 and side
panel 3, and fixed to the box as previously explained, the
shutter assembly is mounted in block form by sliding the
plates 5 along the channels 15, the fin 18 becoming lodged
inside groove 25 and fixed by means of a screw inserted
through hole 26 in said fin 18, which also passes through
the hole in separator protrusion 27 fitted in channel 28 to
establish the entry 10 and exit 11 of the labyrinthine
trajectory 6. Channel 28 is delimited on the sides by
slightly curved and divergently warping partitions 29 which
guide the corresponding louvers 30 as they slide upwards
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and downwards.
Finally, part 19 is also fitted with a groove 31 for
receiving the upper part of partition 32 in guide shape 12.
As can be seen in figures 5, 6, 7 and 8, the inventive
louver 101 is hollow and rectangular-shaped, presenting on
one of its ends or edges an extension 102 which i9 offset
in respect to one of the sides, forming therewith an ample
step 103, said extension finishing in an inwardly rounded
elbow to determine a sort of hook 104. The inner surface of
the part opposite the step 103 and the start of extension
102 is concave-curved.
The opposite end or edge presents an opening 105
established between the edges of respective wings 106 and
107, wing 106 being arched whereas wing 107 is formed by an
extension arched toward the interior of side plate 108, the
external curve in said wing 107 being complementary to
concave surface 109, both shapes becoming mutually adapted
upon closing the shutter, as shown in figure 7.
According to the characteristics of the louver
described, a shutter is formed simply by correlatively
coupling a plurality of louvers to one another, as can be
seen in figure 8.
Said coupling operation is implemented by inserting
the hook 104 in louver 101 through the opening 105
corresponding to the opposite edge of the adjacent louver.
Because of the special shape provided by the wings 106, 107
and the opening 105, the hook 104 becomes lodged inside the
corresponding channel 110, so that upon trying to separate
the louvers, the hook 104 couples onto the wing 107 and
prevents said possible separation, said coupling action
being guaranteed by the butt formed on the free edge in
wing 106 onto which catches the external part of said hook
104 or the extension 102 forming a part of said hook.
Upon closing or overlapping the louvers, the
complementary surfaces in wing 107 and the concave length
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109 become mutually adapted and overlap perfectly, the free
edge in wing 106 becoming likewise perfectly adapted to
step 103, thereby preventing the passage of light and
allowing the shutter to move free of any restriction.
The upper 101' and lower 101" louvers forming the
shutter, in addition to the coupling channel in the former
and the hook in the latter, are fitted with respective
external channels 111 strangled at the mouth for lodging
and securing a joint or draught excluder for the purpose of
forming an insulating closure along the upper and lower
contact areas, according to the portion of the shutter
involved.
Concerning the last variation of the louvers, and as
can be seen in figures 9, 10, 11 and 12, when the shutter
is lodged in the labyrinth it acquires a curve such that
the angle between two adjacent louvers is approximately
127~. Under these circumstances, the curve in hook 104
becomes perfectly adapted to that of the internally elbowed
wing 107. See detail A in fîgure 9. By contra~t, when two
adjacent louvers are mutually suspended, the dragging
action between the hook 104 and the internally elbowed wing
107 acquires an offset effect, a rotation torque being
applied over the louver which causes it to lean
simultaneously on both sides of the guide.
The end or edge opposite hook 104 presents an opening
105 established between the edges of respective wings 106
and 107, wing 106 being straight whereas wing 107 is formed
by an internally arched extension in side plate 108, the
external curve in said wing 107 being complementary to the
concave surface 109, both becoming adapted to each other
upon closing the shutter, as can be seen in figure 9.
Concerning the drive means, and as can be seen in
figure 13, the wings 14 in sections 13 of the box 3 side
panels slidingly receive the assembly formed by the side
plates 5, on which the manually driven assembly 60 may be
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secured by means of screws. This driving assembly moves
upon rotation of the transmission rod 51, which is in turn
driven by a crank handle 52 via a pair of conventional 1/1
ratio conic gears housed inside the crank handle box 53.
Figures 14 and 15 show an exploded view of the manual
driving means 50 mounted in its box; it is apparent that
the assembly comprises a manually driven reducer 54 and a
bidirection brake 55.
Figures 16, 17 and 18 show the manually driven reducer
54 formed by an assembly of four separator pinions 56
fitted with coplanar parallel shafts, its sole function
being that of laterally separating the drive rod 51 from
the center of the manually driven assembly, the number of
teeth in said transmission pinions being 10 for the two
center pinions and 12 for the two external pinions, and
thus no rotation speed reduction takes place. The reduction
basically comes from a 12-tooth conic pinion 57 integral to
the last separator pinion and the corresponding 26-tooth
ring gear. Integral to this conic ring gear 58, a first
transmission pinion 59 is provided on which is mounted in
an axially fixed although integrally rotational manner a
first driving pinion 60 for the louvers forming the
shutter.
The first transmission pinion 59 is required to
transmit movement to a second transmission pinion 61 on
which is mounted in an axially fixed although integrally
rotational manner a second driving pinion 62 for the
louvers forming the shutter. This movement transmission
between the first transmission pinion 59 and the second
transmission pinion 61 is implemented through a first
intermediate ring gear 63 integral to the shaft between the
plates 7 and which meshes with a second intermediate ring
gear 64.
The bidirection conventional type brake 55 is formed
by a set of brake springs 65, a C-shaped hollow shaft 67,
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a brake cylinder 66 and a brake coupling 68. See figure 15.
Figures 19, 20, 21 and 22 show the motorized drive
means formed by a conventional asynchronous alternate
current motor 69, the shaft 70 of which finishes in a motor
pinion 71. This motor pinion is inserted between the two
first stage 72 planetary gears, whereas the pinion 73
integral to the first stage 74 planetary ring gear is
in~erted between the second stage 75 planetary gears; in
turn, the ~econd stage 76 planetary ring gear is integral
to pinion 77, which meshes with a motor driven ring gear 78
which rotates coaxially and integrally with the first
transmission pinion 59 and the first driving pinion 60. The
second stage planetary gears are mounted on axes 79 of a
planetary gear cage 80, the rotation of which is prevented
by fixing the perimeter protrusions 81. Assembly of the
first stage planetary gears is identical; the corresponding
planetary gear cage is not shown for reasons of clarity.
See figure 11.
Several stops 82 are lodged in the corresponding
grooves 83 in the side plates 5 for the purpose of
detecting the presence of the shutter in each guide 6. See
figures 13, 19 and 21.
Operation of the driving devices is as follows. The
user rotates the crank handle 52 in one direction or the
other, so that, through the pair of conventional conic
pinions (not shown) installed in the crank handle box 53,
movement is transmitted to the transmission rod 51 that is
rigidly and rotatingly coupled to a housing present in the
brake coupling 68.
The C-shaped hollow shaft rotatingly integral to said
brake coupling 68 rotates a cotter pin in the first
separator pinion 56 inserted inside the shaft, while
dragging the free springs with the lugs toward the
interior, the springs being encapsulated in an elastic
tube and forming the brake 65 spring assembly. Movement is
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thus transmitted to the separator pinion assembly 56, conic
pinion 57, conic ring gear 58, first transmission pinion 59
and first dragging pinion 60, the second dragging pinion 62
receiving the rotational movement via the first
transmission pinion 59, first intermediate ring gear 63,
second intermediate ring gear 64 and second transmission
pinion 61. See figure 16.
Finally, the dragging pinions 60, 62 mesh with the
ends of the louvers which slide along the labyrinthine
guides 6, causing the shutter to move. When motionless, the
shutter is braked in view that the cotter pin in the first
separator pinion 56 tends to open the springs and lugs
toward the interior, forming the brake spring assembly 65
which, upon expanding its diameter, becomes lodged inside
brake cylinder 66 and impairs its rotation.
This bidirection brake device 55 is not described in
further detail since it is widely used in the louvered
shutter industry and amply known to any expert on the
subject.
Concerning the motorized driving means, movement is
generated by motor 69 which, through motor pinion 71, first
stage planetary gears 72, first stage ring gear 74 and its
pinion 73, second stage planetary gears 75, second stage
ring gear 76 and its pinion 77, transmit rotation in either
direction to the motor driven ring gear 78 and from it to
the first transmission pinion 59 and first dragging pinion
60, which are coaxial and rotatingly integral thereto.
Movement of the second dragging pinion 62 is implemented in
a manner similar to that described for the manual driving
means through the first intermediate ring gear 63, second
intermediate ring gear 64 and second transmission pinion
61. See figures 20, 21 and 22.
When in repose, the shutter is braked by a
conventional bidirection brake incorporated in the motor.
