Patent ID: 6326899
Filing Date: 2001-12-04
Classification: B60J

Abstract:
A shutter assembly comprising:a structure which surrounds an opening;a shutter including a plurality of laths hingedly connected together at their longitudinal edges and moveable across the opening in a direction substantially normal to the longitudinal edges between an opened position and a closed position to respectively open and close the opening;a latch mechanism operable to retain the shutter in the closed position, the latch mechanism including at least one latch member mounted on the shutter and, for each latch member, at least one keeper mounted on the structure and which has a portion with which the respective latch member may be engaged to latch the shutter in the closed position; anda sensor including an emitter and a detector positioned such that when the latch member is engaged the signal transmitted by the emitter is reflected by the latch member and is received by the detector, and positioned such that when the latch member is not engaged the signal from the emitter is not received by the detector.