Patent ID: 7677003
Filing Date: 2010-03-16
Classification: E06B

Abstract:
1. A shutter for protection of building portals against forces exerted by hurricanes, comprising: a unitary frame including: four longitudinal rail members, each longitudinal rail member having a pair of opposite distal ends, said four longitudinal rail members are arranged such that one of said four longitudinal rail members is disposed along each side of a rectangular perimeter, such that one distal end of one of said longitudinal rail members substantially abuts one distal end of another of said four longitudinal rail members at a respective vertex of said rectangular perimeter, each longitudinal rail member having a receptacle opening at each of its distal ends and a receptacle extending more than a first distance toward its opposite distal end; and four corner connection members, each located at a respective one of the four vertices of said rectangular perimeter, and each corner connection member having a first projection and a second projection, said first projection extending said first distance into and bonded to a surface of the receptacle of one of said longitudinal rail members and said second projection extending said first distance into and bonded to a surface of the receptacle of an adjacent longitudinal rail member; wherein at least one of said four corner connection members has a latch-pin passage extending through its first projection in its extending direction, said one of said longitudinal rail members comprises an elongated clearance passage from an exterior of said one of said longitudinal rail members to a channel, extending in the direction of said channel, and said adjacent longitudinal rail member comprises a latch pin clearance hole, and further comprising a latch pin extending through and supported by said latch-pin passage; wherein said four corner connection members flex for reducing bending and twisting forces applied to said unitary frame; and a portal covering structure secured to and supported by said unitary frame.