Patent ID: 8176963
Filing Date: 2012-05-15
Classification: E06B

Abstract:
1. An accordion-style storm shutter system for protectively covering an opening in a building structure, said storm shutter system comprising: an outer frame having two pair of opposing sides; a plurality of flat panels, said plurality of panels being hingedly connected together in accordion style fashion to permit opening and closing against one pair of said two pair of opposing sides; said panels having a plurality of spaced circular apertures formed therein, each of said apertures having a plurality of notches which extend radially outwardly from a circular perimeter of each of said apertures, each of said apertures having a least one stop tab extending radially inwardly from said circular perimeter; and a plurality of locking plugs, each of said locking plugs having a flat body having a diameter greater than a diameter of said plurality of apertures, said plurality of locking tabs being positioned on said flat body to corresponding to said plurality of notches, said locking tabs having a generally L-shape such that a portion of each of said locking tabs is laterally offset from a surface of said flat body of said locking plugs; each of said locking plugs being received within one of said plurality of apertures and rotated such that a portion of said panel adjacent said circular perimeter of said aperture is positioned between said portion of said locking tab offset from said flat body and said flat body to retain said locking plug within said aperture and wherein said at least one stop tab abuts one of said plurality of locking tabs to limit rotation of said locking plugs within said apertures.