Patent ID: 6701669
Filing Date: 2004-03-09
Classification: E06B

Abstract:
An improved louver rotation apparatus for a louvered shutter having a frame and a plurality of rotating louvers rotationally engaged therein comprising:a louver frame defined by a pair of elongated stiles attached by a pair of elongated rails; said elongated stiles each having a top end, a bottom end, an interior side, and exterior side, a front surface and a rear surface and a center axis therethrough; a first stile of said pair of elongated stiles having a first channel communicating therethrough parallel to said center axis, a second channel communicating therethrough parallel to said center axis, and a channel gap between said first channel and said second channel; each of said plurality of rotating louvers having louver axles attached at a first end and a second end, said louver axle at said first end rotationally engaged with the second stile of said pair of elongated stiles and said louver axle at said second end protruding into said channel gap through an axle aperture in said first stile; a first rack gear, said first rack gear having an exterior surface dimensioned for lateral translation inside said first channel and having a first end, a second end, an inward edge on a side facing said channel gap and an outward edge on a side facing said exterior side of said stile; a second rack gear, said second rack gear having a first end, a second end, an exterior surface dimensioned for lateral translation inside said second channel and having an inner edge on a side facing said channel gap and an interior edge on a side facing said interior side of said stile; each of said plurality of louver axles having a gear thereon, said gear cooperatively engageable with a first set of gear teeth on said inward edge of said first rack gear, and a second set of gear teeth on said inner edge of said second rack gear; a knob assembly mounted to said first stile, said knob assembly having a handle communicating with a knob shaft; said knob shaft cooperatively engaging rack gears formed on at least one of said outward edge of said first rack gear and said interior edge of said second lover rack, whereby a twisting of said knob laterally translates said first and second rack gears rotating said cooperatively engaged louver axles and attached louvers.