EP3263826B1 - Roller shutter with adjustable slats - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the technical field of shutters with blades intended to ensure the concealment of a bay in the general sense but more specifically the shutters with blades of adjustable character.

In general, a roller shutter comprises a series of blades or horizontal slats hinged together to form a concealment curtain slidably guided in vertical rails. This curtain is driven by a drive drum, vertically sliding down to a lower stop to occupy a complete occlusion position and vertical sliding ascending to occupy a partial or complete opening position in which the blades are wound around the drum.

The primary function of this shutter is to close a bay to protect from outside light and against break-ins. However, it appeared the additional need to ventilate the occulted rooms. For this purpose, the prior art has proposed making slots in the blades allowing ventilation and modulation of the incoming light. This solution is unsatisfactory in practice because it does not allow sufficient ventilation.

To ensure this dual function of protection and ventilation, the European patent 2,398,993 proposes to make a curtain comprising steerable blades each comprising a support and an orientable wing pivotally mounted on the upper part of the support according to a first pivot and on the lower part of the successive upper blade according to a second pivot so that the wing is able to occupy a perforated position or a closed position. In the absence of efforts on these blades, the directional blades occupy the closed position due to gravity.

Thus, when the drive drum is rotated by a control acting to ensure the sliding down of the curtain to bring it to a low stop, the swivel wings of the blades are in the closed position. When this downward sliding is continued after the abutment of the lower blade, the swiveling wings of the blades, from the lowest blade, successively take their place. openwork position. It is thus possible to place the wings at will open position from the bottom of the curtain to a height chosen according to the degree of sliding achieved. If this solution provides adequate ventilation and modulation of the incoming light, this solution requires the use of a lower blade of adjustable height to adjust to the mounting tolerances while providing the stop function for the opening of the lights. wings of the blades. Moreover, the function of burglar-proof security is no longer provided by such a curtain. Finally, the mandatory opening of the wings from the lower blades entails a risk of entry of crawling animals.

The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art by proposing a new rolling shutter with adjustable blades having a simple design and capable of providing effective protection while allowing effective ventilation and modulation at will of the incoming light.

To achieve such objectives, the shutter according to the invention comprises a series of superimposed blades hinged together to form a concealment curtain slidably guided in vertical slides and driven by a drive drum, in downward vertical sliding up to a low stop to occupy a complete occlusion position and vertical sliding upwards to occupy an open position, this curtain comprising at least one orientable blade having a support and an orientable wing pivotally mounted on the upper part of the support in a first pivot and on the lower part of the successive upper blade according to a second pivot so that the wing is adapted to occupy a perforated position or a closed position. According to the invention, the first pivot and the second pivot are arranged so that on the one hand, in the absence of a force exerted by the upper blade on the wing, the effect of the weight of the curtain exerted on the lower part of the support, causes the first pivot and the second pivot to occupy a substantially superimposed position so that the wing occupies its open position, and secondly, the application of a thrust force by the upper blade on the wing drives a lateral offset between the first pivot and the second pivot so that the wing occupies its closed position.

• le rideau comporte des lames fixes et au moins une première série de lames orientables consécutives ;
• l'aile orientable comporte pour définir le premier pivot, un premier crochet et un deuxième crochet arrondis selon des sens opposés, le premier crochet s'engageant dans un évidement formé par un crochet porté par le support alors que le deuxième crochet s'étend autour du côté extérieur du crochet porté par le support ;
• l'aile orientable comporte pour définir le deuxième pivot, un troisième crochet arrondi selon un sens opposé au deuxième crochet et coopérant avec un crochet porté par la partie inférieure du support et arrondi selon un sens opposé à ce troisième crochet ;
• le support de chaque lame orientable comporte un profilé inférieur à partir duquel s'élèvent au moins deux bras latéraux définissant à leurs parties supérieures, le premier pivot d'articulation pour l'aile orientable positionnée entre ses deux bras, l'aile orientable coopérant avec le profilé inférieur de la lame supérieure selon le deuxième pivot ;
• le profilé inférieur comporte une gorge pour le montage d'une nervure portée par les bras latéraux, chaque bras latéral étant fixé à chacune des extrémités du profilé inférieur, par un élément de fixation et de guidage monté dans les glissières verticales ;
• le profilé inférieur comporte une gorge pour le montage d'une nervure portée par un bras intermédiaire monté entre les deux bras latéraux ;
• l'aile orientable est pourvue latéralement d'embouts de finition munis d'un prolongement de montage sur les bras latéraux ;
• le tambour d'entraînement est commandé en rotation par une commande agissant pour assurer le coulissement descendant du rideau pour l'amener jusqu'à la butée basse et à continuer le coulissement descendant jusqu'à amener successivement à partir de la lame inférieure, les ailes orientables des lames à occuper leur position fermée ;
• le tambour d'entraînement est commandé en rotation par une commande agissant pour assurer le coulissement ascendant du rideau sur une course limitée afin d'amener successivement à partir de la lame orientable supérieure et pour un nombre déterminé de lames orientables suivantes, les ailes orientables des lames à occuper leur position ouverte.

The roller shutter according to the invention furthermore comprises in combination one and / or the other of the following additional characteristics:

• the curtain comprises fixed blades and at least a first series of consecutive steerable blades;
• the orientable wing comprises for defining the first pivot, a first hook and a second hook rounded in opposite directions, the first hook engaging in a recess formed by a hook carried by the support while the second hook extends around on the outside of the hook carried by the support;
• the orientable wing comprises for defining the second pivot, a third hook rounded in a direction opposite to the second hook and cooperating with a hook carried by the lower part of the support and rounded in a direction opposite to the third hook;
• the support of each steerable blade comprises a lower section from which rise at least two lateral arms defining at their upper parts, the first hinged pivot for the swiveling wing positioned between its two arms, the swiveling wing cooperating with the lower profile of the upper blade according to the second pivot;
• the lower profile has a groove for mounting a rib carried by the side arms, each side arm being fixed at each end of the lower profile, by a fastening element and guide mounted in the vertical rails;
• the lower profile has a groove for mounting a rib carried by an intermediate arm mounted between the two side arms;
• the swiveling wing is provided laterally with end caps provided with a mounting extension on the side arms;
• the driving drum is rotated by a control acting to ensure the sliding down of the curtain to bring it to the lower stop and continue downward sliding to bring successively from the lower blade, the swivel wings of the blades to occupy their closed position;
• the drive drum is controlled in rotation by a control acting to ensure the upward sliding of the curtain on a limited stroke in order to bring successively from the upper swivel blade and for a determined number of subsequent swiveling blades, the swiveling wings of the blades to occupy their open position.

• La Figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un exemple de réalisation d'un volet roulant conforme à l'invention, avec des lames orientables placées en position ajourée.
• La Figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'un volet roulant conforme à l'invention, montrant, par rapport à la Fig. 1 , l'évolution des lames orientables placées en position ajourée.
• La Figure 3 est une vue en perspective éclatée d'un exemple préféré de réalisation d'une lame orientable conforme à l'invention.
• La Figure 4 est une vue en perspective montrant une lame orientable en cours de montage.
• La Figure 5 est une vue en élévation d'une aile orientable conforme à l'invention.
• Les Figures 6 et 7 sont des vues en élévation du rideau dont les ailes orientables occupent respectivement la position ajourée et la position fermée.
• La Figure 8 est une vue analogue à la Fig. 1 et montrant des lames de grande longueur.

Various other characteristics appear from the description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of non-limiting examples, embodiments of the subject of the invention.

• The Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a roller shutter according to the invention, with steerable blades placed in open position.
• The Figure 2 is a perspective view of a shutter according to the invention, showing, with respect to the Fig. 1 , the evolution of the adjustable blades placed in openwork position.
• The Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an orientable blade according to the invention.
• The Figure 4 is a perspective view showing an orientable blade during assembly.
• The Figure 5 is an elevational view of an orientable wing according to the invention.
• The Figures 6 and 7 are views in elevation of the curtain whose swiveling wings respectively occupy the perforated position and the closed position.
• The Figure 8 is a view similar to the Fig. 1 and showing blades of great length.

The object of the invention relates to a shutter 1 comprising a series of horizontal blades 2f, 2o hinged together to form a concealment curtain 3 slidably guided in vertical rails 4 shown only for illustration by lines discontinuous. This occulting curtain 3 is driven by a drive drum 5 also shown only for illustration by its axis of rotation. This drum 5 drives the curtain 3 vertically sliding down to a low stop B to occupy a complete occlusion position and vertical sliding ascending to occupy an open position. This drum 5 is rotated by means of a manual or motorized control to ensure the upward and downward sliding of the occulting curtain 3. The drum 5 and the slides 4 are not described more precisely because they are well known of the skilled person.

This occulting curtain 3 comprises at least one orientable blade 2o and in the example illustrated in FIGS. Fig. 1 and 2 , a series of consecutive 2o swivel blades and fixed blades 2f. Each steerable blade 2o has at least one window 8 aeration and passage of light. Of course, the steerable blades 2o can be distributed along the curtain in any appropriate manner and their number is chosen at will according to the desired level of modulation for air and light. Typically, the curtain 3 may comprise a single series of consecutive steerable blades 2o or several consecutive series of steerable blades 2o , these series of consecutive steerable blades being separated by one or more fixed blades 2f.

As more specifically Fig. 3 , 6 and 7 Each adjustable blade 2o comprises a support 9 and a swiveling wing 10 pivotally mounted on the upper support 9 according to a first pivot 11 and on the lower part 12 of the next upper blade according to a second pivot 13. Each wing 10 is adjustable therefore able to occupy a perforated position for which the window 8 is open ( Fig. 6 ) or a closed position for which the window 8 is closed ( Fig. 7 ). This first pivot 11 and the second pivot 13 are spaced apart from each other by a given measurement. During the sliding of the curtain, the relative position between these pivots 11, 13 changes in the manner of a lever acting to ensure the rotation of the swiveling wing 10.

According to the invention, the first pivot 11 and the second pivot 13 are arranged so that on the one hand, in the absence of an effort exerted by the upper blade on the swiveling wing 10, the effect of the weight P of the curtain exerted on the lower part of the support 9 of this orientable wing, causes the first pivot 11 and the second pivot 13 to occupy a substantially superimposed position of so that the wing occupies its perforated position, and that on the other hand, the application of a thrust force M by the upper blade on the swiveling wing 10 causes a lateral shift d between the first pivot 11 and the second pivot 13 so that this orientable wing 10 occupies its closed position. As will be better understood in the following description, the swivel wing 10 occupies its open position by the weight of the curtain located below said blade while the swivel wing 10 occupies its closed position under the effect of a thrust force exerted by the upper blade to this blade and coming from the driving drum 5.

As more specifically Figures 4 to 7 , the swiveling wing 10 comprises for defining the first pivot 11, a first hook 14 and a second hook 15 rounded in opposite directions. The first hook 14 engages in a recess 16 formed by a hook 17 carried by the upper part of the support 9 and engaged inside the second hook 14. The second hook 15 extends around the outside of the hook 17 carried by the support 9. During the rotation of the swiveling wing 10 , the first hook 14 is supported inside the hook 17 of the support 9.

The swiveling wing 10 comprises for defining the second pivot 13, a third hook 19 rounded in a direction opposite to the second hook 15. This third hook 19 cooperates with a hook 21 carried by the lower part of the support 9 belonging to the neighboring upper blade . This hook 21 carried by the lower part of the support 9 of the upper blade is rounded in a direction opposite to the third hook 19. The application of a thrust force M by the upper blade on the swiveling wing 10 causes a movement of the second pivot 13, downwards and a lateral spacing relative to the first pivot 11 causing pivoting of the swiveling wing 10 to occupy its closed position. Thus, in the closed position of the steerable wing 10, the gripping distance horizontally between the first pivot 11 and the second pivot 13 is maximum while in the open position of the steerable wing 10, the distance d is practically zero since the pivots 11, 13 are practically aligned vertically.

According to an advantageous characteristic of embodiment, the support 9 of each steerable blade 2o comprises a lower section 23 from which rise at least two lateral arms 24 provided at their upper parts of the hooks 17. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. drawings, the lower profile 23 has a groove 25 open upwards and opening at the ends of the lower profile for mounting the lateral arms 24. Each side arm 22 is formed by a plate provided at its lower part, a rib 26 d insertion into the groove 25 of the lower section 23.

Each lateral arm 24 is fixed to be positioned at each end of the lower profile, by a fixing and guiding element 28 mounted in the vertical slideways 4. The elements 28 are fixed on the ends of the lower profile 23 and each has a hole 29 for passing a screw anchored in the rib 26 of the lateral arm 24. These elements 28 which thus extend projecting on either side of the swiveling blade, are arranged to ensure the sliding guide of the curtain in the vertical slides 4.

The lateral arms 24 are separated from each other by a greater or lesser distance delimiting the width of the window 8. The orientable wing 10 is articulated on these lateral arms 24 to extend between them and allow, by its main panel 10a, to close this window 8 when the swiveling wing is in the closed position. The lateral arms 24 are provided at their opposite upper ends with those provided with the ribs 26, hooks 17 cooperating with the swiveling wing 10 to define the first pivot 11. Advantageously, the swiveling wing 10 has at its lower part a groove 31 insertion for a seal intended, in the closed position of the wing, to cooperate with the lower profile 23 ( Fig. 5 ).

As already explained, the steerable wing 10 comprises from its inner face directed towards the support 9, the first hook 14 and the second hook 15. According to an advantageous embodiment, these hooks 14, 15 extend in all directions. the length of the wing but cooperate with the hook 17 of the lateral arms 24 only in the end zones of the swiveling wing.

According to an advantageous feature of embodiment, the swivel wing 10 is a profile whose main panel is in the form of a box. Advantageously, the swiveling wing 10 is provided laterally with end caps 32 for finishing or closing the box of the main panel 10a , fixed by screws in the swiveling wing 10 . Advantageously, these tips 32 are provided at their upper part with a lateral extension 33 intended to be mounted on the lateral arms and in particular on the hook 17. Such an arrangement allows the articulated mounting of the swiveling wing 10 on the support while using virtually the entire length of the swiveling wing to close the window 8.

It should be noted that in the case of the realization of a window 8 of great length, the groove 25 of the lower profile is adapted to receive one or more intermediate arms 34 mounted between the two lateral arms 24 to maintain the rigidity of the steerable blade ( Fig. 8 ).

As already explained, the steerable wing 10 comprises from its outer face directed opposite the support 9, the third hook 19 which preferably extends along the entire length of the swiveling wing 10 . This third hook 19 cooperates with the hook 21 arranged at the lower part of the lower profile 23 and over its entire length, thus defining the second pivot 13.

It should be noted that this second pivot 13 constitutes the articulation between an orientable blade and a subsequent upper blade of orientable or fixed type. Indeed, in the case where the upper blade adjacent to an orientable blade is fixed then the upper fixed blade 2f also comprises a lower profile 23 provided with a hook 21 ( Fig. 6 and 7 ). The groove 25 of this profile lower 23 is intended to cooperate with a hinge 35 carried by the lower part of the fixed upper blade.

In the same direction, in the case where the lower blade adjacent to an orientable blade is fixed then the fixed lower blade 2f comprises in its upper part, an upper hook 19 ' similar to the third hook 19 and adapted to cooperate with the hook 21 of the lower section 23. This upper hook 19 ' of a fixed blade 2f and the third hook 19 have roundings of opposite direction. When this fixed blade is articulated with a lower fixed blade, then this fixed blade has in its lower part, a lower hook 21 ' similar to the hook 21 of the lower profile 23 and intended to cooperate with a lower hook 19' lower fixed blade. This lower hook 21 ' and the upper hook 19 ' have roundings of opposite direction. It is thus realized a curtain 3 comprising fixed or adjustable superimposed blades, articulated successively between them.

The operation of the shutter according to the invention follows directly from the foregoing description.

From a fully wound position of the curtain around the drum 5, the driving drum 5 is controlled in rotation by the control acting to ensure the sliding down of the curtain to bring it to the bottom stop B. As soon as a steerable blade 2o leaves the drum that is to say that it is in the suspended position, then the swivel wing 10 of this blade comes to occupy its open position due to the application on the support 9 of said swivel blade , weight P of the part of the curtain located to the lower end of the curtain. It should be understood that during the downward sliding of the curtain, the steerable wings 10 open successively at the exit of the winding drum 5 and remain in open position as long as they are subjected only to gravity.

When the lower end blade reaches the lower stop B, the continuation of the downward sliding of the curtain 3 leads successively to bring from the lower blade, the orientable wings 10 of the blades to occupy their closed position. Indeed, the swiveling wing 10 of an orientable blade receives a thrust force F by the upper blade so that the swivel wing comes to occupy its closed position. Thus, the steerable blades 2o are closed successively starting from the bottom of the curtain and up to the top of the curtain. When all the adjustable blades 2o are in the closed position, the drum 5 is stopped and the curtain 3 is in a total occlusion position.

In order to open the windows 8 of ventilation and light passage, the drive drum 5 is rotated by the control to ensure the upward sliding of the curtain 3 on a limited stroke in order to successively bring from of the upper swivel blade and for a number of successive swiveling blades, the swiveling wings 10 of the blades to occupy their open position. Indeed, the winding of the curtain around the drum 5 leads to the suppression of the force exerted by the adjacent upper blade to the swiveling blade located highest or closest to the drum 5. Thus, the swiveling blades 2o s' open successively from the top of the curtain towards the bottom of the curtain. Stopping the sliding makes it possible to modulate the number of orientable blades placed in the perforated position.

Claims (8)

1. Roller shutter comprising a series of superimposed slats (2f, 20) hinged together to form a blind (3) that is slidably guided in vertical slides (4) and is driven by a drive drum (5) to slide vertically downwards to a bottom stop (B) and occupy a position that excludes the light completely and to slide vertically upwards to occupy an open position, wherein this blind comprises at least one orientable slat (2o) comprising a support (9) and an orientable extension (10) that is mounted on the upper part of the support to pivot about a first pivot (11) and is mounted on the lower part of the successive upper slat to pivot about a second pivot (13) so that the extension may occupy a partially open position or a closed position, characterized in that the orientable extension (10) comprises a first bracket (14) and a second bracket (15) that are rounded in opposite directions to define the first pivot (11), wherein the first bracket (14) engages in a recess (16) formed by a bracket (17) carried by the support (9) while the second bracket (15) extends around the outer side of the bracket (17) carried by the support, and in that the pivoting extension (10) comprises a third bracket (19) to define the second pivot (13), and that is rounded in a direction opposite to the second bracket (15) and interacts with a bracket (21) carried by the lower part of the support (9) and is rounded in a direction opposite to this third bracket, wherein the first pivot (11) and the second pivot (13) are arranged so that, on the one hand, in the absence of a force exerted by the upper slat on the extension (10), the effect of the weight of the blind exerted on the lower part of the support (9) causes the first pivot (11) and the second pivot (13) to take up a substantially superimposed position so that the extension (10) occupies its partially open position, and that, on the other hand, the application of a thrust force by the upper slat on the extension (10) causes a lateral offset between the first pivot and the second pivot so that the extension occupies its closed position.
2. Roller shutter according to claim 1, characterized in that the blind (3) comprises fixed slats (2f) and at least a first series of consecutive orientable slats (2o).
3. Roller shutter according to one of the claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the support (9) of each orientable slat comprises a lower profile (23) from which rise at least two lateral arms (24) defining at their upper parts, the first hinged pivot (11) for the pivoting extension (10) positioned between its two arms, wherein the pivoting extension (10) interacts with the lower profile (23) of the upper slat via the second pivot (13).
4. Roller shutter according to claim 3, characterized in that the lower profile (23) has a groove (25) for mounting a rib (26) carried by the lateral arms (24), wherein each lateral arm (24) is attached to each end of the lower profile (23) by a fastening and guiding element (28) mounted in the vertical rails.
5. Roller shutter according to claim 4, characterized in that the lower profile (23) has a groove (25) for mounting a rib carried by an intermediate arm (34) mounted between the two side arms.
6. Roller shutter according to one of the claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the pivoting extension (10) is provided laterally with end caps (32) that are equipped with an extension (33) for mounting on the lateral arms.
7. Roller shutter according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the drive drum (5) is controlled in rotation by a command to ensure the curtain (3) slides downwards in order to bring it to the lower stop (B) and then to continue sliding downwards successively from the lower slat until the pivoting extensions (10) of the slats occupy their closed position.
8. Roller shutter according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive drum (5) is controlled in rotation by a command to ensure the sliding upwards of the curtain (3) through a limited stroke in order to cause the pivoting extensions (10) of the slats to occupy their open position successively from the upper pivoting slat and for a given number of pivoting slats.

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