Abstract:
A shutter having predetermined requisite strength of shutter framework ( 1 ) encompassing slatted-louver apertures ( 31 ) with slat-support guides ( 6 ). The shutter framework includes structural beams to which ends of slanted slats ( 5 ) are attached rigidly. Ends of slat-support guides ( 6 ) and ( 7 ) are affixed to the bottom and top of shutter spacers ( 4 ) and preferably welded periodically to sides of the shutter framework ( 1 ).

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 10/647,673 filed on Aug. 25, 2003, which was a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/966,622 filed Oct. 1, 2001, now abandoned. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to shutters and more particularly to a shutter with slat guides that is attractive.  
         [0003]     Examples of the most-closely related known but different devices are described in the following patent documents:  
                                               Number   Inventor   File Date   Issue Date   Classification                   U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,174 B   Foster et al.   May 07, 2001   Mar. 25, 2003    52/473       U.S. Pat. No. 3,039,155   Iacovoni   Oct. 07, 1959   Jun. 19, 1962   49/67       U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,874   Sipos et al.   Dec. 15, 1994   Apr. 14, 1998   49/67       U.S. Pat. No. 5,907,929   Poma et al.   Nov. 21, 1997   Jun. 01, 1999    49/62x       U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,683   Ney   Mar. 25, 1996   Apr. 08, 1997    52/202       U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,594   Milam et al.   Feb. 12, 1981   Jan. 18, 1983   49/67       U.S. Pat. No. 2,013,824   Ensminger       September 1935   160/77        U.S. Pat. No. 1,646,522   Berg       October 1927    49/356       U.S. Pat. No. 2,716,785   Schoen   Oct. 21, 1953   Sep. 06, 1955   49/67       U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,161   Sassano   Oct. 16, 1970   Jun. 06, 1972   49/56       U.S. Pat. No. 3,691,687   Economou   Aug. 06, 1971   Sep. 19, 1972   49/74                  
 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     Objects of patentable novelty and utility taught by this invention are to provide a shutter with slat guides which: 
        are attractive in appearance; and     can be made attractive in a variety of structural styles.        
 
         [0007]     This invention accomplishes these and other objectives with a shutter having slat guides and a framework encompassing slatted-louver apertures for covering welds and housing the shutter slats at a 45 degree angle. The framework includes structural beams to which ends of slanted slats are attached rigidly. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     This invention is described by appended claims in relation to description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the following drawings which are explained briefly as follows:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a partially cutaway front elevation view of a shutter embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a section view through line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a section view through line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a section view of a framework member;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a section view of a mullion-slat-support guide assembly;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a section view through line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a left slat-support guide;  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is a side view of a right slat-support guide;  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a left slat-support guide;  
         [0018]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a right slat-support guide;  
         [0019]      FIG. 11  is a front view of a slat-support guide; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 12  is a section view through line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0021]     Listed numerically below with reference to the drawings are terms used to describe features of this invention. These terms and numbers assigned to them designate the same features throughout this description. 
         1 . shutter framework      2 . face walls      3 . edge walls      4 . shutter spacer      5 . slanted slats      6 . right slat-support guide      7 . left slat-support guide      8 . mullion slat-support guide      9 . slat-support cover      10 . mullion slat-support cover      11 . building structure      12 . outward edge of slat      13 . side wall of slat-support guide      14 . front wall of slat-support guide      15 . inward side of slat-support cover      16 . inward edge of slat      17 . slot      18 . slatted-louver aperture        
 
         [0040]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-8 , a shutter with slat guides has at least one shutter framework  1  that includes structural beams that preferably are structural metal tubes having face walls  2  that may be one to six inches wide and edge walls  3  that are also one to six inches wide or other desired sizes. The frame work may be secured in front of a window or, for decorative purposes, directly to a wall of a building structure  11 .  
         [0041]     The face walls  2  and the edge walls  3  are preferably about one-eighth inch thick and made preferably of structural aluminum alloy or a substantial equivalent.  
         [0042]     The substantial equivalent can be a ferrous alloy that is preferably aluminum and rustproof with either an adequate coating or content of nickel, chrome, aluminum or other stainless constituent.  
         [0043]     The shutter framework  1  encompasses slatted-louver apertures  18  having slanted slats  5  with slat ends affixed to the shutter framework  1 . The slanted slats  5  have outward edges  12  and inward edges  16  that are oriented horizontally and attached to the right slat-support guide  6 , the left slat-support guide  7 , and the slat-support cover  9 . The slat-support guides  6  and  7  are oriented vertically with ends attached to the shutter spacer  4 . Both the outward edges of the slats  12  and the inward edges of the slats  16  are orthogonal to the slat-support guides  6  and  7 . The slats  5  feed into the slots  17  located on the side walls of the slat-support guide  13 .  
         [0044]     The slatted-louver apertures  18  includes an entire slatted enclosure of a plurality of apertures between the slanted slats  5  and the shutter framework  1 . The plurality of apertures individually are slanted with preferably about one-half inch of distance of slant orthogonally between surfaces of the slanted slats  5 . The slanted slats  5  are preferably flat aluminum bar stock about one-quarter inch thick and one inch wide. Between bottoms and tops of adjacent slanted slats  5 , there are horizontal apertures, preferably about one-eighth inch high and having a length that is a length of the slanted slats  5 , less a width of the slat-support guides  6  and  7 . The slat-support guides  6  and  7  have a side wall  13 , a front wall  14 , and a back slat-support cover  9 . The slat-support guides  6  and  7  are attached to the bottom of the shutter spacer  4  and are preferably welded periodically to the sides of the shutter framework  1 . The slat-support guides  6  and  7  and the mullion slat support cover  10  have the appearance of a rectangular mullion so as to give a more aesthetic appearance.  
         [0045]     Specifically referring to  FIG. 6 , a cross-section of slanted slat  5  is shown affixed to slat-support guides  6  and  7 . The slat-support guides  6  and  7  and the ends of the slanted slats  5  in turn, are affixed to the shutter framework  1 . The slat-support cover  9  may be affixed to the back of the slat-support guides  6  and  7  and to the edge walls  3  of the shutter framework  1 .  
         [0046]     Specifically referring to  FIG. 7 , a side view of a left slat-support guide  7  is shown without the slanted slats  5 . The side wall  13  has slots  17  where the slanted slats  5  feed into. A slat-support cover  9  would be affixed to the outward edge of slats  12  once placed into the slots  17 .  
         [0047]     Specifically referring to  FIG. 8 , a side view of a right slat-support guide  6  is shown without the slanted slats  5 . The side wall  13  has slots  17  where the slanted slats  5  feed into.  
         [0048]     Referring to  FIG. 9 , a perspective view of a left slat-support guide  7  is shown by itself with slots  17  on, the side wall  13 .  
         [0049]     Referring to  FIG. 10 , a perspective view of a right slat-support guide  6  is shown by itself with slots  17  on the side wall  13 .  
         [0050]     Referring to  FIG. 11 , a front view of a mullion slat-support guide  8  is shown.  
         [0051]     Referring to  FIG. 12 , a section of a right slat-support guide  6  is shown. The outward edges  12  of the slanted slats  5  are affixed to the slat-support cover  9 .  
         [0052]     A new and useful shutter with slat guides having been described, all such foreseeable modifications, adaptations, substitutions of equivalents, mathematical possibilities of combinations of parts, pluralities of parts, applications and forms thereof as described by the following claims and not precluded by prior art are included in this invention.