A noise-damping flexible glide strip and a roller shutter comprising such a strip

Abstract: The glide strip (4) comprises a foot part (5) adapted for arrangement in a guide rail (2) and a slide part (6) of relatively hard material, where the foot part (5) is of a relatively soft material and the slide part (6) has the form of a flap. The roller shutter comprises transverse slats (1), the ends of which run in guide rails (2) at opposite sides of the roller shutter, where at least one glide strip (4) is mounted in each guide rail (2) so that the slats (1) slide along the slide parts (6) of the strip, and these abut on the slats (1) with a predetermined bias.

Description: The invention relates to a noise-damping flexible glide strip comprising a foot part adapted for arrangement in a guide rail and a slide part, the slide part forming a flap which extends upwards from the foot part. The invention further relates to a roller shutter comprising transverse slats, the ends of which run in guide rails at opposite sides of the roller shutter, at least one glide strip is mounted with its foot part in a groove in the relevant guide rail, the flap of the glide strip pointing towards the longitudinal, vertical centre plane of the shutter, so that the slats slide along the flaps of the glide strip and the flaps abut on the slats. A glide strip and a roller shutter of the above art are known from GB-A-2 141 769 which however relates to a thermally insulated roller shutter door particularly for a refrigerated vehicle wherein the glide strips are constituted by lip seals. The laths of this known roller shutter preferably have wheels secured to their ends to provide for proper gliding. Roller shutters are often used as an exterior screen, e.g. on roof windows. A problem which is inherent in such roller shutters is that the wind will easily make the slats rattle, generating a disturbing noise which via the frame of the roller shutter may be conveyed to the subjacent roof window without any appreciable damping. Document DE-U- 8334079 discloses a roller shutter in which the ends of the slats run in guide rails between rows of brushes 6. The brushes reduce friction and shield against incoming light, at the same time damping noise emanating from slat vibrations caused by the wind. However, the brushes are apt to absorb water, and in case of frost the shutter, when rolled-down, may be blocked by freezing so that it is difficult to pull it loose, or it becomes impossible to operate. Document DE-U- 7908819 discloses provision of noise damping by providing the underside of the slats, entirely or in part, with a noise-damping material. This damping method is, how-ever, expensive. Document EP-A- 0365908 discloses a roller shutter, the slats of which have been provided with a noise-damping effect by means of an interior layer of plastic. In addition, roller shutter structures are known, in which the slats run between narrow, hard plastic strips placed at the top and the bottom of the guide rails. For reasons of tolerance there will, however, always be a certain clearance between the slats and the plastic strips, wherefore the slats may still rattle in stormy weather. The object of the invention is to provide a roller shutter, which in a simple way ensures that the slats do not rattle in windy weather, at the same time avoiding the above-mentioned disadvantages of the known technology. Furthermore, the object of the invention is to provide a glide strip to be arranged in a guide rail for a roller shutter, which will prevent the slats of the shutter from rattling in windy weather. This is obtained by means of a glide strip of the above mentioned art which differs from the prior art in that the material of the flap of the glide strip is of a hardness of which is bigger than the hardness of the material of the foot part of the glide strip. Hereby, it is obtained that the slide part can abut on the slats with a certain predetermined bias, thus preventing the slats from rattling while attaining gliding properties. The flap preferably slopes upwards from the foot part. In a preferred embodiment the material of the slide part is of a hardness of approx. 80 Shore D or more, and the material of the foot part is of a hardness of approx. 50 Shore A or less. The glide strip according to the invention is preferably manufactured by co-extrusion of plastic. In addition, according to the invention, a roller shutter of the above mentioned type differs from the prior art in that the material of the glide strips has the properties as defined in anyone of claims 1 to 4, so that the flaps abut on the slats with a predetermined bias. Hereby it is obtained that the slats are retained and secured against vibration. Each glide strip is preferably mounted with its foot part in a groove in the relevant guide rail, the flap mainly pointing towards the longitudinal, vertical centre plane of the shutter. A sort of water-proofing of the lips is thereby obtained, and light is prevented from penetrating along the guide rail. By use of the glide strip according to the invention a damping can be obtained of more than 10 dB of the noise generated when the rolled-down shutter with various outwards curves is exposed to the action of the wind, and to frequencies corres-ponding to those that normally occur when a given roller shutter is exposed to the action of the wind. The invention will in the following be explained in detail by means of example of an embodiment with reference to the drawing, in which fig 1 shows a section of a roller shutter, which employs glide strips according to the invention; fig 2 shows the profile of the glide strip mounted in a groove in a guide rail. The roller shutter shown schematically and in part in fig 1 comprises slats 1, the ends of which run in guide rails 2. The guide rails may suitably be aluminium profiles. In groove 3 in the guide rails 2, glide strips 4 are mounted above and beneath the slats 1. The glide strips 4 are shown in detail in fig 2 and comprise a T-shaped foot part 5, which fits into the grooves 3 of the guide rails 2. A flap 6 slopes upwards and away from from the foot part 5. The glide strip 4 is manufactured by co-extrusion of two plastic materials of a different hardness so that the flap 6 is of a hardness of approx. 80 Shore D or more, and the foot part is of a hardness of approx. 50 Shore A or less. In the example, the two materials interface at the line A-A. As it appears from fig 1, the flaps 6 of the slide strips abut on the slats 1 of the roller shutter. Due to the softness of the foot part 5 of the slide strips 4, the flaps 6 can abut on the slats 1 with a certain predetermined bias. This bias force retains the slats 1 so that they are prevented from vibrating or rattling in the guide rails 2. As it appears from fig 1, the flaps 6 of the glide strips 4 point towards the centre of the roller shutter. A sort of water-proofing of the lips is thus obtained and, at the same time, light is prevented from penetrating under the shutter along the guide rails 2.

Claims: A noise-damping flexible glide strip (4) comprising a foot part (5) adapted for arrangement in a guide rail (2) and a slide part, the slide part forming a flap (6) which extends upwards from the foot part (5), characterized in that the material of the flap (6) of the glide strip (4) is of a hardness which is bigger than the hardness of the material of the foot part (5) of the glide strip (4). A glide strip as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the flap (6) slopes upwards from the foot part (5). A glide strip as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the material of the flap (6) is of a hardness of approx. 80 Shore D or more and that the material of the foot part (5) is of a hardness of approx. 50 Shore A or less. A glide strip as claimed in claims 1-3, characterized in that it is manu-factured by co-extrusion of plastic. Roller shutter comprising transverse slats (1), the ends of which run in guide rails (2) at opposite sides of the roller shutter, at least one glide strip (4) is mounted with its foot part (5) in a groove (3) in the relevant guide rail, the flap (6) of the glide strip (4) pointing towards the longitudinal, vertical centre plane of the shutter, so that the slats slide along the flaps (6) of the glide strip (4) and the flaps (6) abut on the slats (1), characterized in that the material of the glide strips (4) has the properties as defined in anyone of claims 1 to 4, so that the flaps (4) abut on the slats (1) with a pretermined bias. A roller shutter as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that each glide strip (4) is mounted with its foot part (5) in a groove (3) in the relevant guide rail (2), the flap (6) pointing towards the longitudinal, vertical centre plane of the shutter.

Inventors: SONDERBY SVEND ARNE, SONDERBY, SVEND ARNE
Applicants: RASMUSSEN KANN IND AS, V. KANN RASMUSSEN INDUSTRI A/S
Application year: 1991
Main classification: E06B9
IPC codes: E06B9